d^ 


GIFT   OF 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


THE  REVELATION 
OF  JOHN 


EXPLAINED    BY 

EDWARD  CLARENCE  FARNSWORTH 


PORTLAND 

SMITH  &  SALE,  PRINTERS 

1919 


T3 


(  Copyright,  1919 

by 
Edward  C.  Farnaworth 


•••••••    • 

•  •    •  •.*  •  ,    • 
•    •      •  •    •    ■  • 


•  •••••      ••••••     •    •" 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I      SALUTATION    TO    THE    SEVEN    CHURCHES. 

CONCERNING   THE   COMING   OF   CHRIST  1 

II      MESSAGES      TO      THE      ANGELS      OF      THE 

CHURCHES 17 

III  MESSAGES      TO      THE     ANGELS      OF     THE 

CHURCHES    (continued)       ....         31 

IV  THE  TWENTY-FOUR  ELDERS  AND  THE  FOUR 

BEASTS.      THE  VISION  OF  THE  THRONE         40 

V      THE  BOOK  WITH   SEVEN   SEALS      ...         45 

VI      THE  SIX   SEALS  OPENED 50 

VII      THE   NUMBER  OF  THE   SEALED        ...         57 

Vin      OPENING    OF    THE    SEVENTH    SEAL.      THE 

SEVEN  ANGELS  WITH  TRUMPETS    .       .         64 

IX     A  STAR  FALLS  FROM  HEAVEN.     SOUNDING 

OF  THE   SIXTH   TRUMPET      ....         71 

X      THE  BOOK  EATEN 80 

XI      THE  TWO  WITNESSES 84 

XII      THE    WOMAN    CLOTHED    WITH    THE    SUN. 

THE  GREAT,   RED  DRAGON  ....         95 

Xni      THE  BEAST  WITH  SEVEN  HEADS  AND  TEN 

HORNS.    THE  NUMBER  OF  THE  BEAST    .       105 

XIV      THE     LAMB      AND     HIS     COMPANY.       THE 

WORLD  HARVEST 115 

XV      THE  SEVEN  ANGELS  WITH  THE  SEVEN  LAST 

PLAGUES 124 


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CONTENTS 

Chapter  Pace 
XVI      THE    POURING    OF   THE    SEVEN   VIALS   OF 

WRATH 127 

XVII      THE    WOMAN    IN    PURPLE    AND    SCARLET. 

THE  VICTORY  OF  THE  LAMB     .  136 

XVIII      THE  FALL  OF   BABYLON 144 

XIX      THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  LAMB        .       .       .  152 

XX      SATAN   BOUND   FOR  A   THOUSAND   YEARS. 

THE  TWO   RESURRECTIONS  .  160 

^  XXI      THE  NEW  JERUSALEM  171 

^XXII      THE  TREE  OF  LIFE 184 


VI 


INTRODUCTION 


INTRODUCTION 

REVELATION  is  the  most  profoundly  mysti- 
cal of  all  the  Biblical  books.  Never  has  it 
been  interpreted  as  a  whole,  nor  rarely  even 
in  part.  This  is  not  strange  when  we  discover  that  its 
seemingly  plainest  statements  are  those  which  hide 
deepest  whatever  should  be  concealed  until  the 
appointed  time.  Hence  the  failure  of  all  who  attempt 
the  book  through  western  methods  of  interpretation, 
those  which  often  favor  an  absurd  literalness. 

Revelation  is  no  illogical  rhapsody.  Its  seeming 
lack  of  order  is  deliberate  and  wholl}^  outward.  Its 
import  cannot  be  over-estimated.  Its  times  and  sea- 
sons are  as  yet  unaccomplished,  for  they  have  been 
fulfilled  only  in  type.  Falling  Rome  is  but  a  hint  of 
things  to  come ;  hence  the  difficulties  and  final  failure 
of  the  contemporary  historical  method  of  interpre- 
tation, one  which  at  first  thought  seems  warranted. 
That  certain  of  the  prophecies  of  Revelation  have 
been  accomplished  in  type,  proves  the  seership  of  the 
author,  and  hints  that  upon  most  of  the  book  the 
present  century,  begun  with  wonderful  and  crowding 
events,  will  set  the  seal  of  truth  fulfilled  to  the  letter. 

If  the  would-be  interpreter  is  unable  at  the  outset 
to  perceive  the  peculiar  astrological  and  zodiacal 
symbolism  of  Revelation,  or  if  he  fail  to  understand 
the  mystery  language  which,  like  a  shell,  hides  the 
kernel  truth,  it  were  well  that  he  abandon  at  once 
an  effort  sure  to  lead  him  far  afield,  and  result  only 
in  another  of  those  many  falsifications  of  the  book 
which  the  centuries  have  been  guilty  of. 


IX 


INTRODUCTION 

On  the  other  hand,  if  he  be  possessed  of  that 
special  information  which  should  qualify  the  inter- 
preter for  his  office,  another  snare  is  waiting  to  trap 
him  as  we  shall  see.  Study  of  Eastern  religions  and 
philosophies  has  revealed  to  many  investigators  that 
the  pure,  and  noble,  and  uplifting,  is  not  the  sole 
property  of  Christianity.  This  discovery  has  some- 
times resulted  in  a  belittling  of  Jesus  the  Christ, 
whereas  he  is  the  chief  cornerstone  of  that  Temple 
of  Truth  into  which  many  great  and  dedicated  lives 
have  been  builded.  This  being  so,  let  the  qualified 
interpreter  refrain  from  substituting  for  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  that  of  another,  however  exalted.  If  to 
such  an  interpreter  the  book  of  Revelation  seem 
only  a  series  of  chapters  taken  from  the  initiatory 
rites  of  the  Ancient  Mysteries,  it  must  be  admitted 
that,  for  reasons  to  be  explained  presently,  his 
ingenuity  and  special  knowledge  can  make  the  book 
conform  in  a  way  to  his  theory,  but  it  should  be  said 
that  his  meanings,  however  plausible,  will  be  only 
secondary  and,  at  a  time  like  the  present,  his  giving 
will  be  but  a  stone  to  those  who  cry  for  bread.  Reve- 
lation deals  with  world-happenings,  in  fact  with  the 
renovation  of  the  human  race  and  the  earth  itself, 
and  not  with  that  merely  personal  development  for 
which  the  Mysteries  existed,  and  which  is  only  a 
type,  the  little  likeness  of  the  large. 

The  founders  of  the  Ancient  Mysteries  were  men 
who,  aided  by  the  accumulated  knowledge  of  long 
centuries  of  research  behind  them,  had  come  to 
know  that  the  past,  present,  and  future  of  the  earth 
are  indicated  in  the  Zodiac,  but  not  in  a  definite  way 
for,  evidently,  such  determination  would  mean  for 


INTRODUCTION 

man  absolute  fatalism.  In  the  Divine  plan,  human 
free  will  was  considered;  hence  an  element  of  ambi- 
guity in  all  zodiacal  readings.  The  founders  of  the 
Mysteries  discovered  also  that  the  development  of 
the  individual  corresponds  with  that  of  the  human 
race;  that  man  the  unit  must  undergo  whatsoever 
is  necessary  to  the  race  as  a  whole.  So  the  Mystery 
teachings  were  intended  to  point  out  a  path  shorter 
than  the  circuitous  road  leading  to  the  goal  of  human 
evolution.  Evidently  the  mystery  teachings  epito- 
mized the  destiny  of  the  race  to  which  man  belonged, 
and  of  the  world  from  whose  womb  he  in  a  way  had 
been  born.  Hence,  while  Revelation  is  in  a  sense  a 
series  of  chapters  from  the  initiatory  rites,  the  book 
is  valuable  to  the  world  chiefly  because  these  chapters 
have  been  remodeled  by  the  Master  himself  into 
definite  statements  of  times  and  events. 

Beneath  a  thin  disguise  of  days  and  months, 
Revelation  deals  with  periods  comprising  thousands 
of  years.  To  be  as  explicit  as  possible,  it  deals  with 
the  zodiacal  time  between  the  entrance  of  Pisces- 
Virgo  and  that  of  Capricornus-Cancer  in  the  great 
equinoctial  procession.  Revelation  treats  of  two 
judgments;  the  first  and  lesser  of  which  was  typified 
by  the  fall  of  Rome,  and  is  now  due  at  the  coming  in 
of  Aquarius-Leo,  for,  as  the  Ancient  Wise  well  knew, 
all  foretellible  times  and  events  move  as  moves  the 
great  zodiacal  wheel. 

The  second  and  greater  judgment  will  occur  at  the 
entrance  of  the  zodiacal  Goat  contemporaneous  with 
the  end  of  the  millennial  period  over  two  thousand 
years  hence.  Even  the  second  judgment  is  not  the 
end  of  the  world,  but  rather  the  culmination  of  the 


XI 


INTRODUCTION 

second  great  age,  at  which  time  a  sifting,  more  thor- 
ough than  that  of  the  first  judgment,  will  occur. 
Concerning  the  happenings  due  at  the  culmination 
of  the  third  great  age,  Revelation  only  forecasts  a 
condition  of  humanity  and  of  the  planet  almost 
unbelieveable  to-day,  because  the  new  Jerusalem 
then  shall  have  been  for  long  that  city  of  the  world 
toward  which  all  eyes  are  to  be  turned,  and  to  which 
all  pilgrim  feet  are  to  be  directed. 

As  for  John,  he,  like  Paul,  proves  himself  deeply 
versed  both  in  the  mystery  teaching  and  the  mys- 
tery language.  Besides,  his  method  of  concealing 
his  revelation  from  the  profane  is  that  of  the  Initiates. 
John  was  a  true  seer,  and  of  the  same  order  as  Daniel, 
certain  of  whose  prophecies  dovetail  into  his  own, 
but,  because  Daniel  was  of  the  Jewish  period,  he 
treats  of  three  judgments,  the  first  of  which  would 
descend  upon  his  own  home  city,  that  Jerusalem 
which,  before  the  writing  of  Revelation,  had  fallen 
as  Jesus  also  had  prophesied,  but  which  in  its  glorious 
days  was  the  type  of  the  one  beheld  of  John  descend- 
ing from  the  new  heaven  upon  the  new  earth. 

Let  us  now  examine,  verse  by  verse,  the  twenty- 
two  chapters  of  Revelation  and,  though  not  lifting 
every  veil,  let  us  make  plain  as  the  times  will  warrant, 
the  predicted  events  of  these  culminating  years  to 
which  the  last  nineteen  centuries  have  been  leading. 


XII 


REVELATION 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 
Chapter  I 

THE  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God 
gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto  his  servants 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass;  and 
he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant 
John. "  The  explicit  statement  of  the  first  half  of  this 
opening  verse  leaves  nothing  doubtful,  and  no  middle 
ground  of  compromise.  Revelation  must  be  accepted 
as  the  prophecy  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  or  else 
rejected  as  sheer  imposture  on  the  part  of  John. 
Furthermore,  the  word  Christ  is  here  coupled  with 
that  of  Jesus,  hence  the  Christ  of  this  chapter  and — 
for  that  matter — of  all  the  others,  is  not  the  Gnostic 
Christ,  that  spiritual  principle  which  exists  in  every 
man. 

In  Daniel  8: 16,  we  read:  "And  I  heard  a  man's 
voice  between  the  banks  of  Ulai,  who  called,  and 
said:  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  understand  the 
vision."  Also  in  chapter  9:22,  Gabriel  said,  "O 
Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill  and 
understanding."  Again  in  Luke  1:19,  "And  the 
angel  answered  and  said  unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God;  and  am  sent  to  speak 
unto  thee,  and  to  show  thee  these  glad  tidings." 
Again  in  verse  26,  "And  in  the  sixth  month  the  Angel 
Gabriel  was  sent  from  God  unto  a  city  of  Galilee 
named  Nazareth." 

Gabriel  is  one  of  the  seven  angels  of  the  Sephiroth ; 
the  one  who  in  respect   to  times  and   happenings 


,  ;   ,,<  J  ;.■;{..     XHE'.lOtyElJATION  OF  JOHN 

reflects  the  Mind  of  God  even  as  the  moon  reflects 
the  light  of  the  sun:  but,  since  the  other  planets 
each  reflects  chiefly  some  special  quality  of  the  sun's 
light,  so  each  of  the  seven  great  archangels  reflects 
some  special  attribute  of  the  Mind  of  God.  However, 
the  deeper  meaning  of  the  verse  hides  in  the  fact 
that  Gabriel  comes  not  directly  to  John,  but  as  a 
messenger  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  respect  to  our  world,  the  fact  mentioned  indi- 
cates a  new  dispensation,  for  now  it  is  Jesus  Christ 
who  reflects  the  Mind  of  God ;  therefore  Gabriel  is  no 
longer  second,  but  third.  "Things  which  must 
shortly  come  to  pass. "  Here  the  meaning  of  "shortly  " 
is  "surely,"  and  should  the  word  "shortly"  be  given  a 
literal  meaning,  still  immediate  fulfillment  will  be 
only  through  those  correspondents  which  typify  cer- 
tain greater  events  due  in  the  fulness  of  time.  At 
once,  in  this  first  verse,  is  discovered  the  reason  for 
the  curse  contained  in  chapter  22:  19,  "If  any  man 
shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this 
prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the 
book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  Holy  City,  and  from  the 
things  which  are  written  in  this  book." 

"2  Who  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  all  things  that 
he  saw."  This  verse  is  to  the  first  what  one's  signa- 
ture is  to  a  written  statement;  it  vouches  for  the 
truth  therein. 

"3  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear 
the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things 
which  are  written  therein:  for  the  time  is  at  hand." 
"He  that  readeth"  means  he  that  discovers  real 
meanings,  rather  than  he  who  is  satisfied  with  out- 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

ward  and  often  much-misleading  statements.  "They 
that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,"  are  those 
who  assent  to  its  reasonable  elucidation,  and  watch 
and  wait  as  did  not  the  people  in  Noah's  day.  "For 
the  time  is  at  hand"  is  one  of  the  paradoxes  num- 
erous throughout  the  book.  Here  John's  measure 
of  time  is  no  earthly  one.  On  the  super-physical 
planes,  that  which  will  certainly  be  is  clearly  defined 
and  seemingly  in  the  present,  or  nearly  so:  whereas 
the  conditioned  is  hazy  and  seemingly  remote;  hence 
the  unveiled  meaning  of  the  quotation  may  be 
expressed  thus:  "for  the  time  is  sure." 

"4  John  to  the  seven  churches  which  are  in 
Asia:  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  him  which 
is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come;  and  from 
the  seven  Spirits  which  are  before  his  throne."  The 
prologue  ended,  John  salutes  the  seven  Asian  churches. 
The  verse  seems  open  enough,  and  yet  why  these 
seven?  Why  omit  the  greater  churches  at  Jerusalem, 
and  Rome,  and  Corinth,  and  elsewhere?  Again, 
the  purport  of  verse  20  is  that  the  seven  churches 
are  enough  for  whatever  design  John  may  have  in 
mind. 

If  on  the  map  the  position  of  the  seven  Asian 
churches  be  noted,  it  is  easily  seen  that  they  form  a 
figure  much  resembling  the  Pleiadic  group  of  seven 
stars.  Also,  in  its  configuration,  the  island  of  Patmos 
— mentioned  in  verse  9 — resembles  both  the  Pleiades 
and  the  Asian  group.  Again,  the  mount  of  Patmos, 
generally  conceded  to  be  the  place  of  the  writing  of 
Revelation,  is  central  and  compares  to  the  position 
of  Sardis  on  the  map,  and  of  the  star  Alcyone  in  the 
Pleiades. 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

John's  method  of  concealing  this  matter  was 
peculiar  to  olden  times,  and  was  derived  from  hoary 
antiquity  when  the  Cross,  the  Swastica,  the  Pyramid, 
the  Egyptian  Sphinx,  the  Scarabaeus,  the  Boat  of 
the  Dead,  and  even  the  hieroglyphics  of  primitive 
peoples,  were  derived  from  certain  star  groups, 
while  the  alignment  of  their  temples  was  made  to 
accord  with  heavenly  models. 

In  respect  to  the  Pleiades,  an  ancient  secret  teach- 
ing is  that  they  are  the  Divine  Centre  of  the  visible 
universe,  while  their  own  central  orb  is  the  Christ 
star,  which  in  fact  is  the  highest  visible  throne  of  the 
universe.  This  much  is  what,  in  his  mystery-speech, 
John  is  telling  us.  Then,  with  the  sweet  influence  of 
the  Pleiades  in  mind,  he  continues:  "Grace  be  unto 
you,  and  peace  from  him  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come."  This  Pleiadic  influence  is  to 
continue  during  the  aeons  included  in  the  three 
times — the  present,  the  past,  and  the  future — just 
indicated;  the  aeons  which  measure  the  entire  life- 
period  of  the  earth.  That  life-period,  typified  by  the 
seven  days  of  Genesis,  is  divided  into  seven  great 
ages  over  each  of  which  one  star  of  the  Supreme 
Seven  has  or  will  have  dominion.  The  rulers  of  these 
stars,  or  thrones,  those  whose  names  are  unknown 
and  whose  attributes  are  beyond  man's  compre- 
hension and  so  are  not  mentioned  by  John,  are  the 
seven  spirits  of  God  before  his  invisible  throne. 

"5  And  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful 
witness,  and  the  first  begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the 
prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Unto  him  that  loved 
us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood." 
Right  understanding  of  the  verse  does  not  support 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

the  doctrine  of  a  triune  God.  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
first-begotten  of  the  dead,  the  first  of  mankind  to  be 
resurrected  bodily;  but"  explanation  of  the  nature  of 
his  resurrected  body  would  require  a  lengthy  digres- 
sion which  is  aside  from  our  purpose.  Those  words, 
"the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,"  reveal  John's 
idea  of  the  dignity  and  place  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
Kosmic  Scheme  or,  to  be  exact,  in  the  scheme  of  our 
solar  system.  He  is  the  ruler  of  this  planet,  the 
eighth  angel  of  the  Sephiroth  whose  complete  number 
is  ten;  the  ninth  and  tenth  being  secret  as  was  once 
the  eighth. 

That  these  planetary  rulers  or  star  angels  have 
risen  from  humbler  conditions  is  revealed  in  chapter 
22:8,  9,  "I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of 
the  angel  which  showed  me  these  things.  Then 
saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  for  I  am  thy 
fellow-servant  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets." 
Thus  did  the  archangel  Gabriel,  in  the  sublime 
humility  of  the  truly  exalted,  identify  himself  with 
such  as  John.  "Unto  him  that  loved  us  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood."  Love  is  the  great 
Persuader;  it  caused  the  Supreme  Architect  to  will 
the  universe  into  being,  and  it  brought  the  ruler  of 
this  planet  into  those  humble  conditions  where  best 
he  could  exemplify  love  and  self-sacrifice  even  to  the 
shedding  of  his  life  blood.  Not  only  John,  but  also 
that  innumerable  host  the  "one  hundred  forty  and 
four  thousand,"  mentioned  in  chapter  14:  1,  had 
been  transformed,  had  been  made  new  creatures 
because  of  that  blood,  or,  as  John  expresses  it,  they 
had  been  washed  even  to  cleansing  in  the  blood  of 
the  Master. 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"6  And  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
God  and  his  Father;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion 
for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  The  office  of  king  and 
priest  was  an  ancient  one  dating  from  the  time  of 
Melchizedek.  John  is  referring  to  the  order  founded 
by  Melchizedek,  and  of  which  Jesus  was  made  a 
priest  as  the  Psalmisfc  had  prophesied.  Kingship  in 
the  order,  to  whose  head  Abraham  made  obeisance, 
was  spiritual,  but  as  John  vouchsafes  no  hint  con- 
cerning the  specific  duties  of  priest  or  king,  let  it 
suffice  that  the  central  aim  of  this  most  ancient  and 
secret  of  orders  was  the  bringing  about  of  universal 
peace  at  a  time  known  to  Melchizedek,  and  perhaps 
to  him  alone. 

"To  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen."  The  glory  and  dominion  of  the  Father  is 
universal;  that  of  Jesus  the  Christ  is  throughout  the 
world  for  ever  and  ever,  or,  rather,  while  the  world 
endures.  Amen  is  a  form  of  the  Creative  Word;  it 
includes  the  meaning  of  Alpha  and  Omega  and  even 
more,  for  it  signifies  the  creative,  preservative,  and 
renovative  principles  existing  in  the  world,  and  in 
the  universe. 

"7  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him; 
and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of 
him.  Even  so.  Amen."  Coming  with  clouds  means 
coming  mysteriously,  and  at  a  time  when  little  or 
least  expected.  The  early  church  looked  for  him 
every  day,  and  then  every  year,  for  they  interpreted 
literally  the  dark  sayings  of  Jesus  concerning  his 
advent.     "And  every  eye  shall  see  him,"  a  specific 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

Statement,  if  such  a  one  exist  in  this  book,  couched  as 
it  is  in  the  mystery  language  of  the  Initiates. 

"And  they  also  which  pierced  him."  Evidently 
they  who  nailed  him  to  the  cross,  and  also  the  soldier 
of  the  spear,  are  to  see  him.  Why,  then,  his  non- 
appearance during  the  years  immediately  succeeding 
his  ascension?  In  Jesus'  day  the  doctrine  of  re-birth 
was  commonly  held  by  many  of  the  Jews,  as  well  as 
by  whole  nations  beyond  the  limits  of  Palestine.  If 
the  doctrine  of  re-birth  is  to  explain  the  matter,  then 
those  who  pierced  Jesus  are  to  be  on  earth  at  his 
second  coming,  even  if  centuries  later.  However, 
there  is  another  explanation;  one  to  be  derived  from 
the  answer  of  the  Judge  as  rendered  in  Matthew  25 :  45, 
"Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of 
these,  ye  did  it  not  to  me."  Evidently  those  who  at 
any  time  do  good  or  evil  unto  the  brethren,  do  so 
unto  Christ. 

"And  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because 
of  him."  The  sentence  emphasizes  the  unprepared- 
ness  of  the  world  as  a  whole  in  the  day  of  his  appear- 
ing. "Even  so,  Amen,"  is  the  most  solemn  of  assur- 
ances that  these  things  are  to  be  fulfilled. 

"8  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega  the  beginning  and 
the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty."  The  Almighty 
here  identifies  himself  with  the  Word,  that  Trinity 
of  Trinities  whose  import  is  expressed  for  instance  in 
the  Hindoo  three:  Brahma,  Divine  Will,  the  Creator; 
Vishnu,  Divine  Love,  the  Permeater  and  Sustainer; 
and  Shiva,  Divine  Wisdom,  the  Renovator  and — in 
the  fulness  of  time — the  Destroyer. 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

"9  1  John,  who  am  also  your  brother,  and  com- 
panion in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and 
patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  in  the  isle  that  is  called 
Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ."  "Brother,  and  companion  in  tribu- 
lation," has  a  double  meaning.  To  an  Initiate  it 
recalls  certain  rites  of  the  Mysteries;  while  for  the 
outside  world  it  refers  to  that  earthly  pilgrimage 
which  all  must  perform.  "The  kingdom  and  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ,"  signifies  that  spiritual  kingdom  in 
which  the  saints  await  with  patience  the  coming  of 
its  visible  counterpart. 

"The  isle  that  is  called  Patmos."  These  words 
are  an  example  of  the  mystery  language  used 
throughout  Revelation.  Patmos  signifies  the  earth 
considered  as  the  center  of  things,  or  it  signifies  the 
center  whether  of  the  island  of  that  name,  or  of  the 
Pleiadic  group,  or  indeed  of  man  himself.  The  last 
meaning  is  the  one  we  shall  first  explain.  The  central 
star  of  the  Pleiades  is  that  of  Divine  Love  and  Wis- 
dom, and  the  spiritual  center  in  man  corresponds 
with  it.  That  John  was  in  Patmos  signifies  that  he 
was  in  that  calm  center  of  his  being  which  is  com- 
parable to  an  island  amidst  the  troubled  seas. 

"For  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ."  It  is  only  when  one  retires  deep  into 
himself,  within  what  is  known  as  the  cave  of  the 
heart,  that  the  word  of  God,  still  and  small  as  the 
voice  to  Elijah,  can  be  heard  and  interpreted.  "And 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ."  This  testimony 
is  the  confirmation  of  the  message  contained  between 
the  covers  of  the  book  of  Revelation. 


10 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"10  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
heard  behind  me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet."  To 
be  in  the  Spirit  is  to  be  in  the  seven-fold  cave  of  the 
heart.  To  be  there  on  the  Lord's  day,  rather  than 
on  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  is  to  be  a  prophet  of  the  new 
dispensation.  "A  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet," 
indicates  that  the  hearer  then  had  reached  that 
keenness  of  perception  which  augments  every  sound. 
The  idea  of  loud  and  soft,  and  great  and  small,  varies 
on  different  planes  of  being;  thus  the  infinitesimal 
of  the  material  plane  enlarges  as  one  ascends  to 
higher  and  higher  conditions.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  large  of  the  material  plane  diminishes  if  one 
descend  to  planes  lower  and  lower  than'the  objective. 
What  is  true  of  dimension  is  equally  so  of  sound. 

"11  Saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first 
and  the  last:  and,  what  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book, 
and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches  which  are  in 
Asia;  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto  Smyrna,  and  unto 
Pergamos,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and  unto  Sardis,  and 
unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodicea." 

In  naming  the  seven  churches — really  pseudo- 
churches — John  proceeds  from  left  to  right  around 
something  like  a  semi-circle.  Verse  20  reveals  a  cor- 
respondence between  these  pseudo-churches  and  the 
seven  planets.  Since  verses  14,  15,  and  16  are  to 
deal  with  these  planets,  we  shall  now  name  them  in 
the  order  of  the  pseudo-churches  with  which  they 
correspond:  Saturn,  Jupiter,  Mars,  Sun — substitute 
for  a  secret  planet, — Venus,  Mercury,  Moon — sub- 
stitute for  a  secret  planet.  This  order  is  that  of  the 
Ptolemaic  geocentric  system  which  places  the  earth 
in  the  centre  of  the  universe.     There  is  an  esoteric 


11 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

order  of  the  planets,  one  revealed  in  the  Mysteries, 
and  so  undoubtedly  known  to  John,  but,  because  the 
earth  is  the  centre  of  the  mystery  drama  of  Revela- 
tion, and  suns  and  planets  attend  upon  it,  John's 
order  of  the  planets  is  the  only  suitable  one. 

"12  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  to 
me.  And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks." "I  turned  to  see  the  voice."  This  clause 
deals  with  one  of  the  mysteries  of  vibration.  The 
super-sensitive  ear  translates  into  sound  octave  after 
octave  of  color  beyond  the  seven  of  the  spectrum. 
So,  to  the  prepared  ear,  every  color  is  a  voice;  on  the 
other  hand,  the  prepared  eye  preceives  sound  as 
color.  "And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks." These  are  the  seven  planets  reflecting  the 
gold  of  the  sun. 

"13  And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man,  clothed  with  a 
garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps 
with  a  golden  girdle."  See  Dan.  7:9.  "One  like 
unto  the  Son  of  man,"  is  not  the  solar  orb,  as  some 
will  contend,  but  that  light  of  the  world  Jesus  the 
Christ.  "Clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot," 
signifies  the  radiant  aura  which,  though  surrounding 
every  man,  is  larger  and  more  prismatically  beautiful 
around  the  great  souls,  the  elder  brothers  of  the  race. 
"And  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle."  This 
girdle  covers  the  breast  and  therefore  the  heart,  of 
which  the  head  is  but  the  servant.  Hence  the  plane- 
tary influence  of  Venus  is  here  indicated,  Venus 
being  the  planetary  seat  of  wisdom. 

"14  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool, 
as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of 


12 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

fire."  This  whiteness  like  wool  and  snow  is  that  of 
the  nimbus  which  corresponds  with  the  rings  of  the 
planet  Saturn.  The  eyes  of  flaming  fire  suggest 
Jupiter  the  fiery  planet,  the  one  whose  bulk  has  not 
yet  cooled.  As  the  fires  of  Jupiter  flame  from  its 
interior,  so  the  eyes  of  the  Son  of  man  flame  from 
the  soul-fire  within. 

"15  And  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they 
burned  in  a  furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of 
many  w^aters."  The  verse  recalls  Daniel's  account 
of  the  feet  of  iron  and  crumbling  clay  upholding  the 
image  seen  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  that  image  whose 
feet  typified  the  fourth  and  modern  kingdom  of  cruel 
tyranny,  the  kingdom  to  be  destroyed  by  the  stone 
falling  from  the  holy  mountain.  The  feet  of  the  Son 
of  man  are  steadfast  like  brass,  and  swift  in  that 
love  and  mercy  which  are  peculiar  to  the  planet 
Mercury.  "And  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many 
waters."  John  is  comparing  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
man  to  the  sound  which  results  when  the  lunar 
influence  lifts  the  ocean  tides  and  hurls  them  upon 
the  shores. 

"16  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars: 
and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword : 
and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his 
strength."  The  stars  are  the  Pleiadic  seven  whose 
sweet  influence  is  over  the  seven  planets  which  in 
turn  influence  the  earth  in  its  seven-fold  being,  and 
also  seven-fold  man,  both  singly  and  collectively. 
"And  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword."  Literally  the  sword  is  a  weapon  for  the 
hand,  but  in  the  fulness  of  time  the  dispensing  of 
justice  should  be  sword-like,  smiting  not  only  the 


13 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

obviously  guilty,  but  likewise  those  who,  outwardly 
innocent,  are  inwardly  no  better  than  the  others. 
The  sword  is  that  weapon  of  Mars  which  Anger  uses 
to  vent  itself,  but  when  one  whose  passions  are  puri- 
fied thrusts  against  abuses,  then  is  he  like  Jesus  when 
denouncing  with  keen,  cutting  words  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  and  Hypocrites.  "And  his  countenance 
was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength."  This  com- 
parison with  the  mid-day  sun  needs  no  comment. 

"17  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as 
dead.  And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying 
unto  me,  Fear  not;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last." 
"And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead." 
These  words  are  reminders  of  certain  others  in 
Daniel  8,  beginning  with  the  15th  verse:  "When  I, 
even  I  Daniel,  had  seen  the  vision,  and  sought  for 
the  meaning,  then,  behold,  there  stood  before  me 
as  the  appearance  of  a  man,  *  *  *  who  called,  and 
said,  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  understand  the 
vision.  *  *  *  So  he  came  near  where  I  stood;  and 
when  he  came,  I  was  afraid,  and  fell  on  my  face.  *  *  * 
Now  as  he  was  speaking  with  me,  I  was  in  a  deep 
sleep  on  my  face  toward  the  ground:  but  he  touched 
me,  and  set  me  upright."  "I  am  the  first  and  the 
last."  Jesus  is  speaking  of  himself  as  the  most 
advanced  member  of  the  old  Adamic  race,  and  then 
as  king  of  this  world,  but  not  as  the  Alpha  and 
Omega  of  the  universe. 

"18  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and, 
behold,  I  am  alive  forevermore,  Amen;  and  have  the 
keys  of  hell  and  of  death."  "I  am  he  that  liveth, 
and  was  dead."  This  is  an  affirmation  of  the  truth 
of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  concerning  which 


14 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

argument  pro  and  con  was  common  even  in  the  first 
century.  "Behold,  I  am  alive  forevermore,  Amen." 
This  meaning  of  the  Amen  is:  I  was!  I  am!  I  shall  be! 
Because  Jesus  the  Christ  is  the  supreme  ruler  of  the 
earth,  there  is  no  appeal  from  his  decree;  he  is  the 
final  dispenser  of  justice  to  all  men.  Thus  he  has 
the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death.  The  word  death  may 
or  may  not  refer  to  what  in  another  chapter  is  denomi- 
nated the  second  death,  to  be  explained  later. 

"19  Write  the  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and 
the  things  which  are,  and  the  things  which  shall  be 
hereafter."  "The  things  which  are,"  constitute  the 
type  of  the  future.  While  to  John  the  fall  of  Rome, 
for  instance,  was  an  event  to  be,  that  event  was  so 
vividly  seen  that  he  will  picture  it  as  if  a  thing  almost 
of  the  present,  whereas  it  was  only  the  type  of  an 
event  due  long  centuries  later. 

"20  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars  which  thou 
sawest  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks. The  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven 
churches:  and  the  seven  candlesticks  which  thou 
sawest  are  the  seven  churches."  Here  the  angels 
of  the  churches  are  the  Pleiades,  but,  as  already 
explained,  these  are  the  heavenly  admonishers  both 
of  man  the  unit,  and  of  mankind  everywhere.  As 
we  have  seen,  the  seven  candlesticks  are  the  seven 
planets;  but  also  they  are  the  seven  principles  or 
powers  of  man,  and,  for  that  matter,  of  the  earth 
itself. 

The  Son  of  Man  is  our  great  eldest  brother  upon 
whom  the  seven  stars,  which  he  holds  aloft,  look 
down.  These  have  influenced  him  on  his  way  to 
perfection;  that  to  which  all  men  shall  attain.   Again, 


15 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

the  seven  planets  also  have  had  their  share  of  heavenly 
influence  upon  him,  even  as  ever  they  have  upon  the 
least  of  his  followers. 


16 


Chapter  II 

UNTO  the  angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  write : 
These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  the 
seven  stars  in  his  right  hand,  who  walketh 
in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks." 
As  already  shown,  the  symbology  of  Revelation 
makes  the  seven  stars  the  angels  of  the  seven  pseudo- 
churches  which  here  are  the  seven  principles  of  man 
as  follows:  The  Saturn  principle,  that  of  material 
mind;  the  Jupiter  principle,  that  of  spiritual  will;  the 
Martian  principle,  that  of  desire  in  its  lowest  and 
passional  aspect;  the  Solar  principle,  that  of  life;  the 
Venusian  principle,  that  of  the  spiritualized  mind; 
the  Mercurian  principle,  that  of  spiritualized  love; 
and  lastly  the  Lunar  principle,  that  of  will  in  its  per- 
sonal aspect.  Each  of  these  principles  is  in  process 
of  development,  and  that  element  in  each  which 
makes  for  progress — that  exerts  an  upward  pull  on 
the  residue — is  now  to  be  considered  as  its  angel. 

"2  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  labor,  and  thy 
patience,  and  how  thou  canst  not  bear  them  which 
are  evil:  and  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they 
are  apostles,  and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them  liars. 
3  And  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience,  and  for  my 
name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast  not  fainted."  In 
this  wise  John  praises  the  angel  of  the  Saturnian  prin- 
ciple, because  of  his  labor  and  patience  and  sagacity. 
The  form  of  this  opening  address  may  be  called  a 
type  of  those  which  follow. 

"4  Nevertheless  I  have  somewhat  against  thee, 
because  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love."      Here  the 


17 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

angel  is  not  the  one  addressed,  but  the  material  mind 
which  as  an  entirety  is  not  what  it  should  be.  "Thou 
hast  left  thy  first  love"  refers  to  man's  mental  con- 
dition since  he  descended,  or  fell,  into  material 
conditions. 

"5  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  first  works;  or  else  I 
will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy 
candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except  thou  repent.'* 
An  ancient  teaching  is  to  the  effect  that  Venus  and 
Saturn  originally  were  one  planet.  Their  separa- 
tion is  symbolized  by  the  fall  of  Satan  from  heaven. 
Lead  is  the  heavy  metal  proper  to  Saturn,  whereas 
Indigo,  a  substance  that  floats  on  water,  is  appro- 
priate to  Venus.  In  respect  to  man,  this  about  these 
planets  symbolizes  first  the  condition  of  Adam  when 
he  communed  with  angels,  and,  second,  when 
expelled  from  Paradise  he  looked  to  the  soil. 

The  threat  to  remove  the  candlestick  is  a  dark  say- 
ing touching  the  possibility  of  man's  virtual  extinction 
because  of  his  perverted  and  wholly  materialized  mind. 
This  possibility  does  not  concern  the  animal  king- 
dom, and  not  eyen  the  savage.  Ability  to  perceive 
the  right,  to  distinguish  it  clearly,  entails  a  grave 
responsibility.  Man  shall  be  judged  according  to  his 
light. 

"6  But  this  thou  hast,  that  thou  hatest  the 
deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  also  I  hate."  These 
were  guilty  of  an  abomination  of  the  heathen  world, 
in  fact  that  Phallic  sorcery  which  accompanied  the 
procreative  act  with  a  mental  attitude  intended  to 
create  a  demoniacal  thought  form  inimical  to  man. 


18 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

"7  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches;  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God."  The  opening 
sentence  means  that  beneath  the  mere  letter  one 
should  reach  the  inner  meaning  of  the  message  to  the 
churches.  "The  tree  of  life  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  paradise  of  God."  The  original  Eden  was  the 
home  of  the  deathless  pre-Adamic  race,  but  of  its 
tree  of  life,  the  fallen  Adam  might  not  eat  lest  he 
become  immortal  in  evil.  Only  the  wholly  cleansed 
shall  eat  of  it,  and,  eating,  go  out  no  more  into  re-birth.'- 

The  fruits  of  this  tree  are  those  of  purified  desire, 
and  pure  spiritual  will.  Man  lives  again  and  again 
because  of  desire  toward  the  earth,  and  because  of 
that  personal  will,  that  freedom  to  choose  unwisely, 
which  orders  his  going  forth  to  the  old  material 
attachments.  Purified  personal  will,  when  united 
with  spiritual  will,  can  hold  purified  desire  to  the 
heavenly  paradise  of  God. 

"8  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna 
write:  These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last  which 
was  dead,  and  is  alive."  John  is  addressing  the 
Jupiter  principle,  that  of  spiritual  will  which  in  man 
rules  the  other  six.  It  was  the  union  of  personal  and 
spiritual  will,  accomplished  in  the  garden  and  on  the 
cross,  that  perfected  the  Master,  so  that  without 
presumption  he  might  speak  of  himself  as  the  first 
and  the  last;  the  first  to  become  faultless,  and  the  one 
dying  for  the  last  time,  and  henceforth  superior  to 
mortal  birth. 

"9  I  know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and 
poverty,  (but  thou  art  rich)  and  I  know  the  blasphemy 

19 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but 
are  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan."  The  masterful 
principle  of  spiritual  will  must  experience  tribula- 
tion, and  know  labor,  since  its  duty  is  to  bend,  but  not 
to  break,  man's  contrary  personal  will,  and  also  to 
purge  his  gross,  passional  nature,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  elevate  his  leaden  material  mind.  Spiritual 
will  cannot  assert  itself  openly  and  ostentatiously 
as  does  personal  will;  hence  its  seeming  poverty,  but 
it  is  rich  in  this,  that,  in  its  collective  manifestations, 
it  is  destined  to  rule  not  only  man,  but  the  entire 
universe. 

"The  blasphemy  of  these  who  say  they  are  Jews, 
and  are  not."  With  John  the  real  Jew  is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  fellowship,  but,  in  the  peculiar 
sense  of  the  verse,  he  symbolizes  the  various  powers 
in  man  which  should  aid  the  spiritual  will.  The 
non-Jew  signifies  that  hypocritical  attitude  of  mind 
which  is  denounced  as  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 

"10  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt 
suffer:  behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into 
prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have 
tribulation  ten  days:  be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  Since  spiritual 
will  has  a  high  and  sure  destiny,  let  it  hold  itself  in 
patience  despite  of  hindrance.  To  understand  the 
casting  into  prison,  and  the  trial  and  tribulation  for 
those  ten  days  which  of  themselves  have  no  esoteric 
significance,  we  must  refer  to  the  book  of  Daniel 
which  bears  a  hidden  likeness  to  Revelation. 

Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  would 
not  defile  themselves  with  the  king's  meat  and  drink, 
so,  by  favor  of  Melzar — the  man  set  over  them — the 


20 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

four  were  allowed  to  choose  pulse  and  water,  their 
own  simple  fare.  And  at  the  end  of  ten  days  their 
countenances  appeared  fairer  and  fatter  in  flesh  than 
all  the  children  which  did  eat  the  portion  of  the 
king's  meat."  Moreover  they  had  "skill  in  all  learn- 
ing and  wisdom:  and  Daniel  had  understanding  in 
all  visions  and  dreams." 

Were  it  our  purpose,  we  could  show  that,  like 
Revelation,  the  entire  book  of  Daniel  is  symbolical, 
though,  unlike  Revelation,  it  is  constructed  around 
an  historical  framework  which,  while  somewhat 
faulty,  was  evidently  of  secondary  importance  to 
the  author.  John  makes  the  seven  churches  in  Asia 
typify  imperfect  septenary  man;  but  Daniel  and  his 
three  companions  constitute  the  perfect  man  con- 
sidered as  a  quaternary.  This  according  to  another 
classification.  Of  the  four,  Daniel  is  the  incorruptible 
spiritual  will,  the  one  set  in  authority.  Evidently 
the  casting  into  prison  of  the  faithful  of  Smyrna  is  a 
comparison  with  the  condition  of  Daniel  when  envy 
had  thrown  him  into  the  den  of  lions. 

In  the  prophetic  drama  known  as  the  book  of 
Daniel,  Nebuchadnezzar  is  carnal  mind,  a  tyrant 
controlling  the  physical  body,  or  else  he  is  carnality 
tyrannizing  the  enslaved  world,  while  Babylon  is  that 
body,  or  that  world. 

The  king's  meat  and  drink  are  the  things  which 
minister  to  his  failings,  while  the  pulse  and  water  are 
the  simple  and  wholesome  things  which  the  humble 
great  ones  have  ever  chosen,  and  always  to  their 
betterment.  ''Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  In  a  way  the  saying 
hints  at  the  experiences  of   Daniel  whose  life  often 


21 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

was  in  deadly  peril,  but  who,  because  remaining 
steadfast,  finally  triumphed  over  his  enemies  and 
every  other  obstacle. 

"11  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches;  He  that  overcometh 
shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death."  During  the 
second  and  the  third  chapters,  the  caution  to  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches  is  made  fully 
emphatic  by  giving  it  seven  times.  In  respect  to  the 
second  death,  without  the  light  which  the  philosophy 
of  reincarnation  throws  upon  it,  this  death  remains 
a  puzzle,  or  else  leads  to  absurd  conclusions. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  of  certain  great  astronom- 
ical cycles,  the  earth  takes  on  a  new  and  higher  rate 
of  vibration.  These  cycles  are  separated  by  periods 
of  about  two  thousand  years.  During  the  first 
century — more  or  less — of  a  cycle,  the  human  race, 
or  at  least  the  major  part  of  it,  enters  a  new  vista  of 
truth.  This  advance  is  a  blessing  to  the  savage  as 
well  as  to  the  normal  civilized  man.  As  for  the 
abnormal  civilized  man,  he  whose  past — despite  of 
its  opportunities  for  good — has  consummated  in  evil, 
at  the  beginning  of  one  of  these  cycles  that  man  goes 
out  never  to  return,  or,  being  out,  he  can  no  more 
enter  the  world  through  the  gates  of  re-birth. 

In  early  ages,  when  little  was  required  of  normal 
man,  perhaps  none  of  these  self-doomed  beings 
existed,  but,  as  the  standard  of  true  civilization 
advanced,  the  unfit  appeared  here  and  there,  and 
more  and  more  frequently.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era,  or  thereabouts,  the  new  cycle  over- 
took many  of  these  delinquents.  At  the  dawn  of  the 
twentieth  century  a  separation  of  the  now  numerous 


22 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

goats  began,  and  it  should  continue  for  about  twenty- 
one  years.  Revelation  also  deals  with  a  later  and 
more  general  weeding  out  of  those  unprofitable  ser- 
vants who  shall  have  sinned  against  every  oppor- 
tunity offered  by  the  modern  world.  This  second 
death  is  not  actual  annihilation,  but  in  fact  a  descent 
of  the  evolutionary  ladder  to  some  low  rung,  from 
whence,  ages  hence,  the  entity  may  rise  with  the 
evolution  of  a  new  planet. 

''12  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Pergamos 
write:  These  things  saith  he  which  hath  the  sharp 
sword  with  two  edges."  The  address  is  to  the  Mar- 
tian principle  of  desire. 

"13  I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou  dwellest, 
even  where  Satan's  seat  is:  and  thou  holdest  fast  my 
name,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith,  even  in  those 
days  wherein  Antipas  was  my  faithful  martyr,  who 
was  slain  among  you,  where  Satan  dwelleth." 

The  solar  plexus  is  the  center  of  the  passional 
nature,  and  in  the  verse  it  is  called  Satan's  seat. 
Red  is  the  color  proper  to  Mars  whose  metal  is  iron. 
Red  blood,  surcharged  with  iron,  is  essential  to 
man's  physical  well-being;  hence  the  Martian  prin- 
ciple is  not  to  be  killed  out,  but  rather  to  be  purified. 
In  the  verse,  purified  desire  is  given  its  meed  of 
praise.  As  for  Antipas,  his  name  and  martyrdom, 
though  remembered  only  here,  serve  to  show  the 
inflexible  iron  of  the  transformed  passional  nature 
when  combined  with  the  spiritual  will. 

"  14  But  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee, 
because  thou  hast  there  them  that  hold  the  doctrine 
of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling- 
block  before   the  children   of   Israel,   to  eat  things 


23 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication." 
The  angel  of  verse  12  of  course  represents  the  ideal 
to  which  the  pseudo-church  must  conform,  but  now 
an  accusation  is  made  against  the  passional  nature 
which  still  is  led  into  devious  ways  and  corrupt  and 
licentious  practices,  here  symbolized  as  idolatry  and 
fornication,  vices  taught  by  Balaam  the  magician  to 
the  children  of  Israel. 

"15  So  hast  thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine 
of  the  Nicolaitanes  which  things  I  hate."  This  verse 
refers  back  to  verse  6  wherein  the  sins  of  the  carnal 
mind  are  condemned.  Verse  15  shows  the  affinity 
between  the  material  mind  and  the  impure  passional 
nature. 

"16  Repent;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly, 
and  will  fight  against  them  with  the  sword  of  my 
mouth."  This  sword,  first  mentioned  in  chapter 
1:  16,  is  the  doom  once  pronounced  upon  Belshazzar 
who  typifies  the  glutton  and  the  sensualist.  "God 
hath  numbered  thy  kingdom  and  finished  it."  "Thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balance  and  art  found  wanting." 
"Thy  kingdom  is  divided  and  given  to  the  Medes 
and  Persians."  The  interpretations  of  these  indict- 
ments are:  God  hath  shortened  the  days  of  thy  mortal 
life,  for  thou  hast  disobeyed  his  law  of  temperance 
and  chastity.  The  abused  organs  of  thy  body  have 
rebelled  even  to  its  death,  and  thou  shalt  be  food  for 
worms  and  creeping  things. 

"17  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches;  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will 
give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name 
written,    which    no   man    knoweth    saving   he   that 


24 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

receiveth  it."  The  hidden  manna  is  spiritual  suste- 
nance which  contrasts  greatly  with  the  living  of  the 
gluttonous  and  debauched.  As  for  the  white  stone; 
in  most  secret  orders,  and  in  many  other  assemblies, 
it  is  customary  to-day,  when  voting  for  or  against  a 
person  or  a  measure,  to  use  a  white  or  a  black  ball. 
In  John's  time  the  voter  used  a  white  or  a  black 
stone.  ''And  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth  it." 
Strictly,  a  voting  stone  should  contain  the  name  of 
the  one  voted  for;  in  which  case  it  would  show  the 
secret  name  of  Jesus  the  Christ  as  revealed  to  the 
Initiates,  those  enlightened  even  as  were  the  Dis- 
ciples to  whom  in  secret  Jesus  explained  the  mys- 
teries of  the  kingdom. 

However,  strict  rendering  of  John's  meaning 
requires  for  the  secret  name  a  personal  application. 
An  ancient  teaching,  doubtless  known  to  John,  is  to 
the  effect  that  human  speech  originated  in  the  seven- 
syllabled  Creative  Word,  and  that  all  languages  are 
amplifications  of  the  seven  secret  vowels  and  con- 
sonants which  compose  the  Word.  In  respect  to 
personal  names,  each  of  the  not  many  originals 
represented  an  idea  sourced  in  the  Creative  Word, 
that  epitome  of  Will,  Desire,  and  Thought.  As  per- 
sonal names  became  more  and  more  differentiated, 
their  derivation  was  more  and  more  obscured  until 
finally  lost.  In  the  rites  of  initiation  into  the  greater 
Mysteries,  the  candidate  received  his  secret  and  real 
name;  one  communicated  to  him  alone,  and  which 
he  was  to  withhold  from  the  profane,  and  even  from 
the  Initiate  of  a  lesser  degree.  This  name  was  the 
potent  link  between  himself  and  the  Creative  Word, 


25 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

and  was  the  key  to  those  mysteries  of  the  Word 
with  which  he  was  in  affinity.  The  legend  of  the  lost 
Word  of  Hiram  Abif  preserves  in  mutilated  form  the 
ancient  teaching  above  given. 

"18  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira 
write;  These  things  saith  the  Son  of  God  who  hath 
his  eyes  like  unto  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like 
fine  brass."  While  the  Jupiter  principle  of  spiritual 
will,  and  the  Mercury  principle  of  spiritual  love,  are 
here  alluded  to,  the  address  really  is  to  the  Solar 
principle  of  life,  physical  and  spiritual,  centered  in 
the  human  heart  from  which  the  physical  and  super- 
physical  life-currents  radiate  to  the  bodily  parts, 
even  as  do  the  physical  and  super-physical  Solar 
beams  to  the  planetary  worlds. 

"19  I  know  thy  works,  and  charity,  and  service, 
and  faith,  and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works;  and  the 
last  to  be  more  than  the  first."  The  metal  appro- 
priate to  the  Sun  is  gold,  and  it  is  from  what  is  called 
the  heart  of  gold  that  love  and  service  and  kindred 
things  proceed  in  such  progression  that  truthfully  it 
can  be  said  that  the  last  work  is  better  than  the  first. 

"20  Notwithstanding  I  have  a  few  things  against 
thee,  because  thou  sufferest  that  woman  Jezebel, 
which  calleth  herself  a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to 
seduce  my  servants  to  commit  fornication,  and  to 
eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols."  By  the  Hindoos 
the  sun  and  light  of  man  the  septenary  is  called 
Ishwara,  while  to  the  Greeks  it  was  the  Christos. 
Existing  in  the  heart  center,  it  is  that  reflector  of 
spiritual  things  which  enables  the  pure  in  heart  to 
realize  God,  or  to  see  him,  as  Jesus  expressed  it. 
Nevertheless,  in  many  scriptural  passages  the  heart  is 


26 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

called  desperately  wicked.  This  anomaly  results  from 
a  loose  classification  which  confounds  the  cardiac 
with  the  epigastric  plexus. 

In  this  verse  John  also  adopts  the  exoteric  classi- 
fication, and  attributes  to  the  heart  the  evils  which 
he  condemns.  The  stern  words  against  the  pseudo- 
seeress  Jezebel  are  really  directed  against  what  in  the 
East  is  known  as  Hatha  Yoga  practices,  which,  with- 
out detail,  may  be  said  to  be  a  concentration  of  the 
material  mind  upon  the  solar  plexus  for  the  purpose 
of  developing  certain  psychical  faculties  which  really 
are  inimical  to  man's  spiritual  well-being.  Fornica- 
tion is  the  word  here  used  to  distinguish  this  practice 
from  another  whose  object  is  to  develop  the  higher 
powers.  This  other  is  known  in  the  Ea^t  as  Raja 
Yoga,  or  kingly  union  of  the  higher  with  the  purified 
lower  faculties. 

"To  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,"  is  to  partici- 
pate in  idol  worship,  but,  in  the  peculiar  meaning  of 
the  verse,  it  is  to  encourage  such  things  as  trance 
mediumship,  for  it  is  said  by  those  who  know,  that 
this  mediumship  is  chiefly  obsession  by  earth-bound 
spirits.  And  ancient  writing  saith,  in  substance: 
"But  they  who,  being  mediums,  utter  in  a  trance 
things  of  which  they  have  no  knowledge,  and  of 
which  their  own  spirits  are  uninformed,  they  are 
obsessed  with  a  spirit  of  divination,  a  strange  spirit, 
not  their  own."  Again:  "Of  such  beware  for  they 
speak  many  lies,  and  are  deceivers  working  for  gain, 
or  for  pleasure's  sake."  Again  we  read:  "Inspiration 
may  indeed  be  mediumistic,  but  it  is  conscious,  and 
the  knowledge  of  the  prophet  is  from  within." 


27 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"21  And  I  gave  her  space  to  repent  of  her  forni- 
cation; and  she  repented  not."  Whenever  such  as 
Jezebel  surrenders  personal  will  to  that  of  some 
incarnate  or  disincarnate  entity,  it  is  well-nigh  impos- 
sible to  turn  back  or,  as  the  verse  has  it,  to  repent. 

"22  Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them 
that  commit  adultery  with  her  into  great  tribulation, 
except  they  repent  of  their  deeds."  To  lose  one's 
will  is  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  to  become  the 
helpless  prey  of  the  obsessor.  As  for  the  obsessor, 
whether  incarnate  or  disincarnate,  he  is  a  practicer 
of  sorcery,  an  infernal  art  which  entails  one  of  the 
heaviest  of  penalties. 

"23  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with  death;  and 
all  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he  which 
searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts:  and  I  will  give  unto 
every  one  of  you  according  to  your  works."  These 
children  are  the  divinations  of  the  pseudo-seeress. 
Their  falsity  shall  be  proven,  and  this  is  their  death. 
The  churches  are  the  entire  man,  or  the  entire  popu- 
lace, and  he  that  searcheth  the  reins  and  the  hearts 
is  the  Christos,  the  spirit  of  light  and  love  and  truth, 
the  real  seer  who  shall  confound  the  false  ones  even 
as  Elijah  confounded  the  false  prophets  of  Baal. 

"24  But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in 
Thyatira,  and  as  many  as  have  not  known  this 
doctrine,  and  which  have  not  known  the  depths  of 
Satan,  as  they  speak;  I  will  put  upon  you  none  other 
burden."  In  the  verse  the  results  of  Hatha  Yoga  are 
called  the  depths  of  Satan,  because  this  Yoga  tends  to 
drag  down  the  lower  four  principles  of  man  the 
septenary,  and  even  tends  to  break  the  cord  which 
holds  them  to  the  upper  three,  thus  bringing  the 


28 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

unfortunate  personality  perilously  near  the  second 
death. 

"25  But  that  which  ye  have  already  hold  fast 
till  I  come.  26  And  he  that  overcometh,  and 
keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give 
power  over  the  nations."  Purification  of  man's 
solar  principle  is  like  the  refining  of  gold,  that  which 
of  all  metals  is  a  sovereign  power  in  the  world.  This 
being  so,  how  much  more  regal  shall  be  the  dominion 
of  its  spiritual  equivalent? 

"27  And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron; 
as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken  to 
shivers:  even  as  I  received  of  my  Father."  The 
verse  is  a  variation  of  the  second  psalm,  verse  9: 
"Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron;  thou 
shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel." 
This  27th  verse  is  connected  secretly  with  chap- 
ter 12:  5:  "And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child,  who 
would  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron."  The 
Psalmist  was  prophesying  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  the 
Revelator  was  foretelling  his  rule  at  his  second  com- 
ing. The  authority  of  the  little  church  at  Thyatira 
was  nil;  so  such  authority  is  but  a  symbol.  The 
reference  openly  is  to  perfected  man's  dominion  over 
every  atom  of  his  composite  self,  and,  secretly,  to  the 
reign  of  Messiah  as  king  and  judge.  That  this  second 
reference  is  the  vital  one  appears  more  fully  in  the 
words  "as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken 
to  shivers."  "Even  as  I  received  of  my  Father,"  is 
the  solemn  assurance  that  these  things  shall  be 
during  the  Messianic  reign. 

"28  And  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star." 
Openly  this  star  is  Mercury,  but  secretly  it  is  the 


29 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

day-Star  for  whose  millennial  rising  these  nineteen 
hundred  years  have  watched  and  waited. 

"29  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  The  fourth  of  the 
seven  cautions  to  septenary  man  on  his  way  to  per- 
fection; that  which  the  Master  said  was  possible  to 
every  one. 


30 


Chapter  III 

AND  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis 
write;  These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars;  I 
know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou 
livest,  and  art  dead."  Scriptures  may  be  written 
from  the  view-point  of  Love,  or  of  Wisdom.  In  address- 
ing the  church  in  Sardis,  John  is  addressing  the 
Venus  principle  of  wisdom  in  man.  The  Seven  Spirits 
of  God,  and  the  seven  stars  under  whose  influence 
Jesus  the  Christ  was  perfected,  were  first  mentioned 
in  chapter  1 : 4,  but  not  again  the  seven  spirits  until 
the  address  to  the  Venus  principle.  This  we  deem  a 
hint  that  Revelation  is  written  from  the  view-point 
of  Divine  Wisdom.  Wisdom  is  a  principle  as  yet 
little  developed  in  the  average  man,  and,  as  for  the 
wisest,  there  yet  remains  much  for  him  to  acquire. 
In  the  verse,  man  is  said  to  possess  only  the  name  of 
wisdom.  Hence  while  seeming  to  live,  he  is  really 
dead. 

"2  Be  watchful  and  strengthen  the  things  which 
remain,  that  are  ready  to  die:  for  I  have  not  found 
thy  works  perfect  before  God."  The  seat  of  the 
higher  wisdom  is  in  the  brain,  or,  to  speak  definitely, 
in  the  pineal  gland;  that  which  is  called  the  eye  of 
Shiva;  its  outward  correspondent  is  the  left  eye. 
The  internal  or  third  eye  is  almost  atrophied  in  the 
vast  majority  of  the  human  race;  hence  it  is  here 
said  to  be  ready  to  die. 

"3  Remember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received 
and  heard,  and  hold  fast,  and  repent.     If  therefore 


31 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief, 
and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come  upon 
thee."  The  opportunities  to  hear  the  teachings  of 
Wisdom  are  manifold.  All  scriptures  were  written 
for  that  end,  and  all  sages  and  prophets  have  lifted 
up  their  voices  to  justify  Wisdom.  Blameworthiness 
consists  in  not  holding  fast,  in  letting  slip  those  wise 
precepts  which,  if  pondered  on,  would  naturally  lead 
to  repentance  and  reformation  of  life.  His  coming 
suddenly  and  stealthily  as  a  thief  comes,  was  often 
foretold  by  the  Master.  This  coming  may  refer  to  a 
judgment  at  the  end  of  one's  life,  or  it  may  mean 
that  visible  coming  to  judge  the  world  which  Reve- 
lation surely  prophesies. 

"4  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis  which 
have  not  defiled  their  garments,  and  they  shall  walk 
with  me  in  white:  for  they  are  worthy."  The  verse 
refers  to  the  wise  who  are  even  in  Sardis.  In  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  those  sinks  of  iniquity,  only  one  was 
found  worthy  to  wear  the  white  robe  of  intellectual 
purity. 

"5  He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be 
clothed  in  white  raiment;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his 
name  out  of  the  book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess  his 
name  before  my  Father,  and  before  his  angels."  As 
it  is  given  to  the  angels  of  the  three  higher  planets, 
Jupiter,  Mercury,  and  Venus,  to  raise  the  life  of  the 
four  lower  planets  to  the  possibility  of  union  with 
their  own;  so  it  is  given  to  the  trinity  of  spiritual  will, 
unselfish  love,  and  the  higher  mentality  in  man,  to 
raise  their  opposites  into  rapport  with  themselves. 
If  the  higher  mind,  that  which  is  associated  with 
material    things   only    through    the    material    mind, 


32 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

should  fail  in  its  specific  duty,  then  a  separation  of 
the  higher  and  the  lower  aspects  of  mind  results. 
This  catastrophe  means  ultimate  extinction  of  the 
lower,  and  a  stay  to  the  progress  of  the  higher,  for 
the  destinies  of  the  two  minds  are  linked  together. 
Because  of  the  natural  activity  of  mind  in  any  form, 
the  staying  of  its  progress  may  mean  for  the  higher 
a  descent  which,  though  far  more  gradual,  is  none 
the  less  sure  as  is  that  of  the  lower.  Hence  the  pos- 
sibility of  the  blotting  out  or  extinction  threatened 
in  the  verse. 

''6  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  This  is  the  fifth  of 
the  seven  admonitions  to  those  who  understand. 

"7  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia 
write;  These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy,  he  that  is 
true,  he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth, 
and  no  man  shutteth;  and  shutteth,  and  no  man 
openeth."  The  address  is  to  the  Mercury  principle 
of  spiritual  love  the  seat  of  which  is  the  pituitary 
body,  and  whose  outward  correspondent  is  the  right 
eye. 

While  the  pineal  gland  is  the  organ  of  spiritual 
vision,  the  energizing  fire  of  spiritual  love  is  necessary 
to  its  activity.  To  be  more  effective,  this  fire  §hould 
be  augmented  by  that  of  the  purified  passional 
nature.  Directed  by  spiritual  will,  these  two  fires 
unite  with  that  of  the  higher  mind,  and  thus  the 
pineal  gland  becomes  an  all-seeing  eye  to  whose 
mental  vision  past,  present,  and  future  becomes  the 
now.  This  is  the  vision  attained  by  the  author  of 
Revelation,  and  this  vision  is  here  called  the  key  of 
David,  and  applies  to  the  Hebrew  king  at  his  best 


33 


'   THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

for,  while  in  his  failings  David  reverted  to  a  grosser 
type,  at  other  times  he  looked  forward  to  one  in 
some  ways  anticipated  by  himself. 

"He  that  openeth  and  no  man  shutteth;  and 
shutteth  and  no  man  openeth."  In  the  sermon  on 
the  Mount,  Jesus  taught  in  an  exoteric  way  the  gen- 
eral principles  of  Raja  Yoga,  or  kingly  union.  The 
virtues  inculcated  in  this  simple  yet  profound  address 
are  indispensable  to  the  aspirant  for  that  develop- 
ment which  gives  to  him  the  key  of  David.  Hence 
it  can  be  said  that  the  Master  himself  opens,  while, 
on  those  who  refuse  his  teachings,  he  can  be  said  to 
shut  the  door  of  seership. 

"8  I  know  thy  works:  behold,  I  have  set  before 
thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it ;  for  thou 
hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word,  and 
hast  not  denied  my  name."  In  the  address  to  those 
pseudo-churches  the  seven  principles  of  man,  the  prin- 
ciples of  spiritual  will  and  of  spiritual  love  alone 
escape  a  certain  condemnation,  and  perhaps  for  the 
reason  that,  being  at  the  center  of  man's  being,  their 
safety  is  reasonably  sure.  These  two  have  a  little 
strength  even  in  the  average  man,  and  to  him  the 
open  door  offers  a  possible  passage  from  which  only 
his  own  failings  can  debar  him. 

"9  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue 
of  Satan,  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but 
who  lie;  behold,  I  will  make  them  to  come  and  wor- 
ship before  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved 
thee."  John  is  speaking  of  the  honor  which  some  day 
the  enlightened  through  Love  shall  receive  even  from 
the  hypocrites  who  secretly  have  scoffed  at  his  teach- 
ings.    In  the  words:  "I  will  make  them  to  come  and 


34 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

worship  before  thy  feet,"  the  writer  has  in  mind  the 
words  from  Isaiah  49:23:  "they  shall  bow  down  to 
thee  with  their  faces  toward  the  earth." 

"10  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my 
patience,  I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  all  the  world,  to 
try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth."  The  prophet 
is  here  looking  forward  to  a  time  of  universal  tempta- 
tion, whereas  ordinary  temptation  comes  usually  to 
individuals,  and  sometimes  to  groups.  The  prophecy 
hints  at  the  time  when  evil  in  some  form  is  to  fill  the 
world,  and  the  decision  for  or  against  it  shall  be  to 
every  man.  Then  it  is  that  the  Mercurian  principle 
of  love  must  in  patience  stand  against  hate. 

"11  Behold  I  come  quickly;  hold  that  fast  which 
thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown."  Here 
"quickly"  means  "surely."  Holding  fast  consists  in 
not  losing  the  spirit  of  long-suffering  even  in  the  most 
vexatious  times. 

"12  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in 
the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out: 
and  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name  of  my  God,  and 
the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which  is  New 
Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from 
my  God:  and  I  will  write  upon  him  my  new  name." 

At  the  entrance  to  the  porch  of  Solomon's  Temple 
were  two  pillars,  each  hollowed  to  conceal  certain 
secret  archives.  The  reference  to  the  pillar  is  to 
convey  the  idea  that  the  perfected  principle  under 
discussion  will  be  custodian  of  the  sacred  Arcane 
Wisdom  of  the  world.  The  words  "he  shall  go  out  no 
more"  signify  freedom  from  re-birth.  "The  name 
of  my  God,"   would   to  many  mean   the  name  of 


35 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Jehovah  the  Jewish  tribal  god,  the  god  of  human 
generation,  the  god  whom  the  Rosicrucians  make  the 
head  of  the  Lunar  evolution,  whereas  the  secret  name 
of  Deity  can  be  known  only  to  those  who  have  mas- 
tered the  mystery  of  the  Creative  Word. 

That  the  New  Jerusalem  is  to  be  established  on 
this  earth,  Revelation  solemnly  affirms,  but,  con- 
cerning the  name  of  the  Holy  City,  that,  like  the 
name  of  God,  is  a  mystery  of  the  sacred  Word.  So 
concerning  the  new  name  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  the 
intimation  here  is  that  his  real  status  in  the  Cosmic 
scheme  is  to  be  known  to  the  initiated  who,  finding 
in  themselves  the  likeness  of  that  name,  shall  straight- 
way understand. 

"13  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  This  is  the  sixth  of 
the  admonitions  to  those  who  understand  the  mys- 
tery language.  "14  And  unto  the  angel  of  the 
church  of  the  Laodiceans  write;  These  things  saith 
the  Amen  the  faithful  and  true  witness,  the  begin- 
ning of  the  creation  of  God."  The  address  is  to  the 
Lunar  principle  of  personal  will.  In  a  degree  the 
verse  reveals  the  nature  of  the  Amen.  Wherever  else 
occurring  in  Revelation,  Amen  signifies  the  begin- 
ning, the  middle,  and  the  end  of  the  creation  of  God. 

"15  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither 
cold  nor  hot:  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot."  Per- 
sonal will  is  one  of  the  most  essential  of  human  posses- 
sions. In  the  free  exercise  of  this  faculty  ignorant 
primeval  man  fell  into  error,  and  perhaps  unavoidably, 
since,  without  free  will  man  is  an  automaton,  a  non- 
entity. In  the  meaning  of  the  verse,  the  hot  are  the 
headstrong,  temperamental  enthusiasts  whose  chief 


36 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

need  is  restraint ;  whereas  the  cold  are  those  as  decided 
in  their  opposition.  These  also  have  character,  in 
fact  something  for  the  reformer  and  equalizer  to  lay- 
hold  of. 

"16  So  then  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and 
neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my 
mouth."  The  lukewarm  are  on  a  dead  level;  they 
are  unprogressive,  in  fact  immovable,  and  so  more 
hopeless  than  the  greatest  sinners. 

"17  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  increased 
with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  knowest 
not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor, 
and  blind,  and  naked."  Faulty  personal  will  is 
receiving  a  sterner  condemnation  than  have  the 
other  six  principles.  Personal  will  largely  controls 
the  man,  either  to  lift  him  up,  or  drag  him  down. 
Crude  personal  will  deems  itself  sufficient  unto  itself, 
nor  dreams  of  its  real  dependence  on  its  spiritual 
opposite;  so  it  is  deserving  of  all  the  accusations  in 
the  verse. 

"18  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the 
fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich;  and  white  raiment, 
that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of 
thy  nakedness  do  not  appear;  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eyesalve,  that  thou  mayest  see."  The  counsel 
is  that  personal  will  should  conjoin  itself  both  with 
spiritual  will — which  here  is  called  gold  tried  in  the 
fire — and  with  white  raiment.  Clothed  in  this,  per- 
sonal will  no  longer  is  naked. 

"19  As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten: 
be  zealous  therefore,  and  repent."  Paul  says:  "For 
rhom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,  and  scourge th 
ivery  son  whom  he  receiveth."    This  doctrine  both 


37 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

of  Paul  and  the  Revelator  contains  nothing  hard  or 
unjust.  Chastening  here  means  a  bringing  to  the 
surface,  for  speedy  removal,  of  some  indebtedness 
which  sooner  or  later  must  be  paid  to  the  law  of 
inflexible  Justice.  Contrition  results  in  that  attitude 
of  non-resistance  to  the  Divine  Will  which  facilitates 
the  process  of  liquidation.  Hence  the  beneficial  afflic- 
tions of  the  righteous;  whereas  the  self-willed  only 
delay  that  day  of  reckoning  when  principal  and 
interest  shall  be  required. 

"20  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door,  and  knock:  if 
any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me."  When  the  loudly  assertive  personal  will  con- 
forms to  the  spiritual  will,  a  calm  ensues,  and  the 
listening  heart  then  can  hear  the  universal  Christos 
seeking  to  reach  the  individual  Christos,  that  dweller 
in  the  heart  of  man  and,  for  that  matter,  of  every 
other  creature.  There  is  yet  another  Christos,  that 
of  the  one  who,  in  the  cosmogony  of  Revelation,  is 
the  planetary  ruler.  Having  taken  upon  himself  the 
lifting  up  of  this  world,  he  comes  to  each  and  all  for 
that  spiritual  breaking  of  bread  and  drinking  of  wine 
of  which  the  last  supper  is  the  type. 

"21  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit 
with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and 
am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne."  The 
two  aspects  of  will  are  the  two  rulers  of  ordinary  man ; 
but  when  these  are  made  one,  man  becomes  a  sover- 
eign than  whom  no  mere  king  is  greater.  Such  a 
man  has  overcome  even  as  Jesus  in  the  garden ;  and 
with  justice  and  truth  it  can  be  said  of  him  that  he 
shall  sit  with  Messiah  in  his  throne.     Here  is  the 


38 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

answer  to  the  request  of  the  mother  of  Zebedee's 
children:  "to  sit  on  my  right  hand  and  on  my  left, 
*****  shall  be  given  to  them  for  whom  it  is 
prepared  of  my  Father." 

"22  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."  Thus  closes  the 
seven  admonitions  to  the  seven  spirits  which  in  man, 
the  image  of  his  Maker,  correspond  with  the  seven 
spirits  of  God  which  are  before  his  throne. 


I 


39 


Chapter  IV 

HAVING  interpreted  according  to  our  under- 
standing the  message  of  the  Son  of  Man  to 
the  churches,  let  us  proceed  to  make  plain 
the  nineteen  chapters  that  follow,  taking  up  each 
verse,  or  part  thereof,  whenever  necessary. 

"After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was 
opened  in  heaven:  and  the  first  voice  that  I  heard 
was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  me;  which 
said,  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  shew  thee  things 
which  must  be  hereafter.  2  And  immediately  I 
was  in  the  spirit:  and,  behold,  a  throne  was  set  in 
heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne."  The  open  door 
in  heaven  signifies  divine  permission  to  enter  for  a 
special  purpose  into  great  and  high  mysteries.  As 
will  be  shown  in  the  exposition  of  certain  verses  of 
Revelation,  John  placed  the  central  heaven  in  the 
north.  Evidently  the  throne  is  the  constellation  of 
the  Dragon.  Hell,  the  bottomless  pit,  is  the  opposite 
of  heaven  and  in  fact  is  the  place  of  the  Red  Dragon, 
the  serpent  that  deceiveth  the  world.  The  one  on 
the  throne  is  the  Ancient  of  Days. 

"3  And  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a 
jasper  and  a  sardine  stone:  and  there  was  a  rainbow 
round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald." 
The  jasper  was  the  last  and  the  sardine  stone  was  the 
first  of  the  twelve  in  the  breastplate  of  Aaron.  Here 
they  signify  Alpha  and  Omega  the  beginning  and  the 
end;  the  north  and  the  south.  The  jasper  is  the  one 
first  mentioned  since  the  mystery  of  the  end,  the 
future,  is  all  unknown;  whereas,  the  beginning,  the 


40 


J 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

past,  is  somewhat  known.  The  sardine  in  the  breast- 
plate signifies  the  cornerstone  of  the  temple,  whereas 
in  the  verse  it  means  the  cornerstone  of  the  universe. 

The  rainbow  round  the  throne  is  a  semi-circle 
which,  with  its  other  half,  is  divisible  into  360  degrees. 
This  division  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  Zodiacal  belt 
through  which  the  Sun  moves  every  twelve  months, 
and  every  26,000  years,  or,  according  to  the  ancient 
enumeration,  in  every  25,920  short  solar,  or  25,500 
long  solar  years.  The  semi-circle  round  the  Throne 
symbolizes  the  Divine  Model  after  which  the  belt  of 
the  earth  was  formed.  The  green  rainbow  is  likened 
to  an  emerald  because  that  gem  cleaves  naturally 
into  hexagonal  fragments.  Following  this  clue,  we 
find  that  the  semi-circle  of  180  degrees  should  be 
divided  into  six  parts,  each  30  degrees  wide.  This 
division  is  a  clue  to  the  six  wings  mentioned  in  verse  8. 

"4  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and 
twenty  seats:  and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and 
twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  raiment;  and 
they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold."  The  twelve 
Zodiacal  powers  each  contains  the  positive  and  the 
negative  principles  which,  in  man  and  the  lower 
creation,  become  male  and  female.  Hence  the  twenty- 
four  elders,  each  a  king,  or  rather  a  regent  subject 
to  the  Throne,  as  will  be  seen. 

"5  And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings 
and  thunderings  and  voices:  and  there  were  seven 
lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are 
[the  seven  Spirits  of  God."  Lightnings  and  thunder- 
ings and  voices  here  signify  the  might  and  majesty 
of  Him  of  whom  the  Psalmist  said:  "Clouds  and 
darkness  are  round  about  him,"  and  again:     "His 


41 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

lightnings  enlighten  the  world."  The  seven  lamps 
are  the  seven  Divine  Pleiadic  Colors  or  Rays  invisible 
to  mortal  eyes,  but  made  manifest  through  their 
material  correspondents  the  seven  spectrum  colors, 
each  of  which  is  proper  to  a  certain  planet  among 
what  were  known  anciently  as  the  sacred  seven. 

"6  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of 
glass  like  unto  crystal :  And  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
and  round  about  the  throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of 
eyes  before  and  behind."  "A  sea  of  glass  like  unto 
crystal"  signifies  the  great  heavenly  space  within  the 
Zodiacal  ring.  This  circular  space  was  symbolized 
by  King  Solomon,  that  adept  in  the  Eastern  Wisdom, 
when,  in  constructing  the  circular  molten  sea  of  the 
Temple,  he  made  its  circumference  30  cubits,  or  one 
twelfth  of  360  cubits,  thus  indicating  a  correspond- 
ence with  the  360  degrees  of  the  Zodiacal  circle. 
The  four  beasts  are  the  four  archangels  who  guard 
the  four  corners  of  the  earth  or,  as  here  meant,  they 
are  those  who  guard  the  four  quarters  of  the  heavens. 
Their  watchfulness  is  indicated  by  the  eyes  before 
and  behind. 

"7  And  the  first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and  the 
second  beast  was  like  a  calf,  and  the  third  beast  had 
a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was  like  a  fly- 
ing eagle."  The  first  beast  is  Michael  the  lion-like, 
that  fiery  one  whose  symbol  is  the  Sun.  He  is  the 
guardian  of  the  north.  Also  he  rules  the  springs  and 
rivers.  The  second  beast  is  Gabriel,  ruler  of  the  air, 
and  whose  symbol  is  the  Moon.  He  is  the  guardian 
of  the  south.  Gabriel  is  likened  to  a  calf  because  he 
presides  over  human  generation,  and  the  pre-natal 
period  of  the  calf  is  almost  identical  with  that  of  the 


42 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

human  infant.  The  golden  calf  worship  of  the  Jews 
was,  in  a  mysterious  way,  a  perversion  of  the  worship 
of  Jehovah.  The  third  beast  with  a  human  face 
signifies  wisdom,  and  is  Uriel  whose  symbol  is  the 
planet  Venus.  He  is  the  guardian  of  the  west,  and 
also  of  the  land.  The  fourth  beast,  like  a  flying 
eagle,  is  Raphael  who  signifies  love.  His  planet  is 
Mercury.  He  is  the  guardian  of  the  east,  and  also  of 
the  ocean  waters. 

"8  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six 
wings  about  him;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within: 
and  they  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  holy, 
holy.  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is 
to  come."  Michael's  province  in  heaven  is  a  type  of 
his  guardianship  in  the  world  where  it  extends  from 
the  north  pole  to  the  equator,  and  is  indicated  by  a 
vertical  half  circle  of  the  earth.  Gabriel's  guardian- 
ship is  indicated  by  the  other  half  of  the  circle. 
Raphael's  guardianship  extends  over  the  eastern  half 
of  the  earth's  equator,  and  Uriel's  guardianship  is 
commensurate  with  the  other  half. 

Wings  signify  guardianship.  The  six  wings  of 
each  beast  signify  the  180  degrees  of  the  earth's  circle 
proper  to  him;  each  wing  signifying  thirty  degrees, 
because  both  the  perpendicular  and  the  horizontal 
belts  of  the  earth  are  each  divided  into  six  sections, 
each  thirty  degrees  wide.  "And  they  were  full  of 
eyes  within"  means  that  the  four  beasts  had  spiritual 
vision  of  hidden  things.  Their  attitude  of  perpetual 
praise  shows  that  they  ascribe  all  within  them  to 
the  Divine  Center  of  Being.  Thus  Michael  ascribes^ 
strength,  Gabriel  foreknowledge,  Uriel  wisdom,  and 
Raphael  love. 


L 


43 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"9  And  when  those  beasts  give  glory  and  honor 
and  thanks  to  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  who  liveth 
for  ever  and  ever,  10  The  four  and  twenty  elders 
fall  down  before  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  wor- 
ship him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns  before  the  throne,  saying:  11  Thou  art 
worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and 
power:  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy 
pleasure  they  are  and  were  created."  Thus  in  a 
wonderfully  picturesque  and  dramatic  way  the 
Revelator  makes  these  verses  the  prologue  to  the 
advent  of  the  great  being  on  which  the  next  chapter 
centers  its  interest. 


44 


Chapter  V 

AND  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on 
the  throne  a  book  written  within  and  on  the 
back  side,  sealed  with  seven  seals."  The 
book  written  within  is  that  of  unliquidated  earthly 
debts;  the  Judgment  Book  now  full  and  ready  for 
opening.  "Sealed  with  seven  seals"  means  seven 
kinds  of  judgment  held  in  abeyance. 

"2  And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a 
loud  voice,  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to 
loose  the  seals  thereof?  "  The  strong  angel  is  Michael, 
the  announcer  of  judgment,  and  the  first  to  take  part 
therein. 

"3  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither 
under  the  earth,  was  able  to  open  the  book,  neither 
to  look  thereon.  4  And  I  wept  much,  because  no 
man  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  to  read  the  book, 
neither  to  look  thereon."  "Worthy"  in  the  second 
verse,  and  "able"  in  the  third  verse,  really  mean 
"fit:"  that  is  to  say,  no  man  can  rightfully  open  the 
book,  or  even  look  thereon. 

"5  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me.  Weep 
not:  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root 
of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to 
loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  This  verse  shows  the 
Revelator  familiar  with  one  of  the  great  mysteries  of 
the  Sephiroth,  a  mystery  which  in  these  latter  days 
can  be  unveiled  that  the  wise  may  understand. 

The  offices  and  names  of  the  guardian  heads  of  the 
seven  planets  are  knowable  to  those  who  properly 
seek  knowledge  of  them,  but,  concerning  the  guardian 


45 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

of  our  world,  information  has  always  been  withheld, 
or  rather  kept  from  the  many.  While  it  is  true  that 
the  Sephiroth  guards  certain  sections  of  our  planet, 
that  guardianship  is  only  secondary,  since  each  angel 
of  the  seven  indicated  by  John — whereas  the  Cabbala 
hints  of  ten — is  the  special  guardian  of  his  own  planet. 
The  eighth  of  the  sacred  planets,  our  world,  has  a 
special  guardian ;  one  who  has  become  sponsor  for  its 
final  perfection.  Therefore  when  underlayable  judg- 
ment must  descend  upon  his  world,  the  eighth  angel 
alone  of  all  beings  in  heaven  and  earth,  is  the  rightful 
unsealer  of  that  judgment.  We  know  not  what 
judgments,  if  any,  are  to  come  on  other  worlds,  but 
in  such  possible  event  coming  for  instance  to  the 
planet  Mercury,  it  would  be  the  duty  of  Raphael  to 
loose  the  seals.  Between  the  estimate  of  Messiah 
which  makes  him  Creator  and  Lord  of  all  worlds,  and 
that  which  makes  him  the  greatest  of  men,  the 
estimate  here  revealed  is  intermediate  and  reasonable. 

"6  And  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
elders,  stood  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  having 
seven  horns  and  seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven 
Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth." 

The  seven  horns  denote  the  full  power,  and  the 
seven  eyes  the  complete  vision  of  God.  The  seven 
Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  horns,  and  the  seven 
eyes,  correspond  with  the  seven  planets  and  with  the 
synthetic  white  glory  of  the  Sun.  According  to  the 
secret  Wisdom  of  the  Ancients,  the  Supreme  acts 
through  intermediates,  through  lesser  and  lesser 
hierarchies  of  being.  As  the  Sun  receives  light  and 
heat  from  a  higher  source,  and  as  the  planets  receive 


46 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

from  the  Sun,  and  in  turn  transmit  to  the  earth 
reflected  light  and  super-physical  energy,  so  opera- 
tive Justice  toward  the  earth  is  delegated  to  the 
Lamb  who  therefore  corresponds  with  the  Sun,  and 
so  stands  in  the  midst  of  the  throne.  In  turn  he 
delegates  power  to  the  seven  "Angels  of  the  Presence" 
who,  as  will  be  seen,  are  typified  by  the  seven  trump- 
eters and  the  seven  who  pour  the  vials  of  wrath. 

"7  And  he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the 
right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne."  Taking 
the  book  from  the  right  hand  of  the  King  emphasizes 
the  authority  of  the  Lamb  who  typifies  not  only  the 
sacrificial  lamb,  but  also  the  sign  Aries,  the  heavenly 
Ram  sacred  to  Israel. 

8  "  And  when  he  had  taken  the  book,  the  four 
beasts  and  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before 
the  Lamb,  having  every  one  of  them  harps,  and 
golden  vials  full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers  of 
saints."  The  beasts  and  the  elders  antedate  man,  while 
the  elders  are  a  different  order  of  beings,  neverthe- 
less they  fall  down  before  the  Lamb  because  he 
represents  the  King.  ''Golden  vials  full  of  odors, 
which  are  the  prayers  of  saints."  It  is  said  of  certain 
odors  that  they  penetrate  beyond  the  limits  of  gross 
matter.  Hence  the  use  of  incense  in  ancient  worship. 
The  quotation  means  that  the  prayers  of  the  saints 
have  penetrated  to  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High. 

"9  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art 
worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  there- 
of: for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God 
by  thy  blood  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation."  The  elders  and  the  beasts  sing 
not    concerning    themselves;    they    rejoice    for    the 


47 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

redemption  which  comes  to  man.  The  nature  of 
that  redemption  will  be  explained  in  another  chapter. 

"10  And  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and 
priests:  and  we  shall  reign  upon  the  earth."  The 
verse  refers  to  the  millennial  period  and  its  hierarchies, 
to  be  considered  later.  "11  And  I  beheld,  and  I 
heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the 
throne  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders:  and  the  number 
of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and 
thousands  of  thousands."  See  Dan.  7:  10.  Ten  is 
the  perfect  heavenly  number,  and  here  relates  to  the 
angelic  condition.  The  addition  thereto  of  many 
ciphers  signifies  the  whole  company  of  heaven. 

"12  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  blessing."  Here  the  Lamb  is  endowed  with  seven 
perfections  to  wit:  power  1,  riches  2,  wisdom  3, 
strength  4,  honor  5,  glory  6,  and  blessing  7. 

"13  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and 
on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are 
in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying, 
Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto 
Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb 
for  ever  and  ever."  See  Phil.  2:10.  Let  us  note 
that  the  seven  attributes  enumerated  in  verse  12  are 
here  condensed  to  four.  Blessing  whose  number  was 
7  now  becomes  1.  Honor  whose  number  was  5  now 
is  2.  Glory  whose  number  was  6  now  is  3.  Power 
whose  number  was  1  now  is  4.  Thus  we  have  1,2, 
3,  4,  whose  total  is  10  the  perfect  number,  or  7,  5, 
6,  1,  whose  numerical  equivalent  is  19,  in  fact  the  9 
hidden  in  the  10,  because  heavenly  blessing,  honor, 


48 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

glory,  power,  include  heavenly  riches  2,  and  wisdom  3, 
and  strength  4. 

In  the  twelfth  verse  riches  2,  and  wisdom  3  and 
strength  4  are  also  earthly  qualities  whose  numerical 
equivalent  is  9.  The  teaching  hidden  in  the  two 
verses  relates  to  the  millennial  king — honored  on 
earth  and  approved  on  high — who,  as  the  perfected 
Solomon — builder  of  the  new  temple — shall  have  in 
fulness  the  three  earthly  attributes  omitted  in  the 
thirteenth  verse. 

"14  And  the  four  beasts  said.  Amen,  and  the 
four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshipped 
Him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever."  The  chapter 
ends  with  the  sacred  Amen  which  in  hoary  antiquity 
was  OM  or  AUM.  Let  it  be  noted  that  the  four  and 
twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshipped  not  the  Lamb, 
but  the  King  in  his  own  person. 


49 


Chapter  VI 

AND  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the 
seals,  and  I  heard,  as  it  were  the  noise  of 
thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts  saying, 
Come  and  see."  The  beast  that  spake  in  the  voice  of 
thunder  was  Michael  the  prince  of  the  heavenly  host. 

"2  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse:  and  he 
that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow;  and  a  crown  was  given 
unto  him:  and  he  went  forth  conquering,  and  to 
conquer."  In  the  second,  fourth,  fifth,  and  eighth 
verses,  horses  typify  that  which  cannot  be  stayed. 
Here  white  signifies  spiritual  authority.  "He  that 
sat  on  him"  typifies  Michael,  and  is  in  fact  the  angel 
of  the  secret  super-physical  planet  that  revolves 
within  the  orbit  of  Mercury.  The  bow  symbolizes 
certain  arrows  or  rays  of  the  sun  which  ordinarily 
are  inoperative.  The  crown  shows  that  these  rays 
emanate  from  the  solar  Crown,  and  are  the  eighth, 
ninth,  and  tenth  rays  now  become  operative  as  torrid 
heat  upon  the  earth.  "Conquering  and  to  conquer" 
means  that  what  is  ordained  shall  be. 

"3  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal,  I 
heard  the  second  beast  say.  Come  and  see."  The 
second  beast  is  Raphael.  "4  And  there  went  out 
another  horse  that  was  red:  and  power  was  given  to 
him  that  sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from  the  earth, 
and  that  they  should  kill  one  another:  and  there  was 
given  unto  him  a  great  sword."  The  rider  on  the  red 
horse  is  the  opposite  of,  Raphael,  love,  whose  planet 
is  Mercury.  He  is  in  fact  the  angel  Raguel,  wrath, 
whose  planet  is  Mars.    The  great  sword  is  the  red 


50 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

ray   become  an   inciter  of  warfare   throughout   the 
world. 

"5  And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal  I 
heard  the  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  beheld, 
and  lo  a  black  horse;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a 
pair  of  balances  in  his  hand."  The  third  beast  is 
Suriel  whose  planet  is  Jupiter.  The  rider  on  the 
black  horse — deep  violet — is  Gabriel  whose  planet  is 
the  moon.  Here  he  is  the  opposite  of  Suriel  who  rep- 
resents Divine  Will.  Man's  personal  will  to  do  evil  has 
brought  about  a  judgment  indicated  by  the  balances. 

"6  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four 
beasts  say,  a  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three 
measures  of  barley  for  a  penny;  and  see  thou  hurt 
not  the  oil  and  the  wine."  A  just  judgment  as  is 
indicated  by  the  words:  "a  measure  of  wheat  for  a 
penny."  Hurting  not  the  oil  and  the  wine  signifies 
that  no  harm  will  come  to  the  righteous,  nor  to  the 
regions  inhabited  by  them. 

"7  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I 
heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say,  Come  and 
see."  The  fourth  beast  is  Uriel,  Divine  Wisdom. 
His  planet  is  Venus. 

"8  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  pale  horse:  and  his 
name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  Hell  followed 
with  him.  And  power  was  given  unto  them  over  the 
fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  the  sword,  and 
with  hunger,  and  with  death,  and  with  beasts  of  the 
earth."  See  Jer.  15:2,  3,  and  Ezk.  11:5,  17.  It 
should  be  known  that  many  of  the  testimonies  of  the 
prophets  which  concern  the  Jews,  and  such  cities  as 
Jerusalem,  Babylon,  Nineveh  and  Tyre,  have  a  wide 
application,  one  extending  even  to  our  own  day. 


51 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

The  most  terrible  rider  of  the  four  is  the  angel 
Jerahmeel  who  here  represents  judgment  on  the 
carnally-minded  among  men.  His  planet  is  Saturn, 
now  become  malevolent  to  those  who  have  per- 
verted their  intelligence  to  evil  ends.  Man  is  judged 
according  to  his  light.  Because  in  mental  darkness, 
the  savage  slays  with  some  excuse;  but  the  enlight- 
ened wielders  of  the  sword  of  tyranny  and  conquest 
shall  now  fall  by  the  sword,  and  with  physical  hunger 
and  spiritual  death,  and  by  the  bestial  violence  of 
the  multitudes  who  shall  turn  upon  them.  Beside  a 
literal  meaning,  "the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,"  here 
indicates  the  lower  quaternary  of  man;  and  refers  to 
those  who  have  lost  the  upper  and  spiritual  triad. 

"9  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I 
saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain 
for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held. "  The  force  now  liberated  is  that  of  Venus, 
and  its  angel  Uriel.  These  souls  are  those  of  the 
saints  and  martyrs  of  all  ages;  in  fact  those  again 
mentioned  in  chapter  7: 14. 

"10  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How 
long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth?" 
The  verse  implies  a  long  waiting  for  the  moment 
when,  in  the  cyclic  progress  of  action  and  reaction, 
the  full  settlement  of  earthly  grievances  shall  be 
consummated. 

"11  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one 
of  them;  and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should 
rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow-servants 
also  and  their  brethren,  that  should  be  killed  as  they 
were,  should  be  fulfilled."    The  verse  indicates  that 


52 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

the  world  is  governed  by  law;  that  times  and  seasons 
cannot  encroach  on  others;  that  what  is  to  come, 
cannot  be  hastened  or  retarded. 

At  this  point  begin  certain  difficulties  which  have 
always  puzzled  commentators.  Do  the  unsealing  of 
the  seals  and  the  sounding  of  the  trumpets  and  the 
pouring  of  the  vials  indicate  three  kinds  of  wrath 
toward  the  earth,  or  do  they  indicate  one  judgment 
seen  in  three  separate  visions?  We  contend  for  the 
latter  opinion,  and  also  hold  that  the  interpolations 
between  the  sixth  and  the  seventh  seals,  and  the 
sixth  and  the  seventh  trumpets,  are  there  for  a  definite 
purpose. 

To  make  the  matter  clear,  we  must  now  anticipate 
the  course  of  those  great  events  which  culminate  in 
the  Judgment.  The  7  seals,  7  trumpets,  and  7  vials, 
make  a  total  of  21.  It  is  undeniable  that  the  end  of 
all  things  seems  indicated  in  verse  17,  coming  after 
the  sounding  of  the  sixth  trumpet.  Moreover  it  is 
sure  that  Revelation  requires  a  pre-millennial  and 
a  post-millennial  judgment. 

The  sixth  seal  of  chapter  6:12,  and  the  sixth 
trumpet  of  chapter  9:  13,  are  parts  of  the  first  judg- 
ment. Although  a  seemingly  unmethodical  insertion, 
chapter  7  veils  a  short  probational  period  before  the 
seventh  seal  of  that  judgment.  The  office  of  chapter 
10,  and  a  portion  of  chapter  11,  is  to  divide  the  sixth 
trumpet  from  the  seventh;  therefore  the  verses  are 
filled  chiefly  with  other  matter.  The  seventh  vial 
is  not  separated  from  the  sixth,  and  in  it  alone  is 
the  nature  of  the  seventh  woe  hinted  at.  From 
the  peculiar  division  of  the  seals  is  obtained  the 
figures  6+1,  and  from  like  division  of  the  trumpets  is 


53 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

again  obtained  the  figures  6+1,  while  from  the  vials 
is  obtained  the  figure  7. 

The  results  are,  first,  the  divided  6+1+6+1+7= 
21;  and,  second,  the  undivided  6+6+7=19.  The 
21  or  inverted  12,  and  the  19=10  the  perfect  number, 
are  keys  to  certain  mysteries  in  Revelation.  The  six 
pre-millennial  seals,  the  six  pre-millennial  trumpets, 
and  the  six  pre-millennial  vials,  make  the  666  of 
Chapter  13:  18,  and  indicate  those  against  whom  the 
three-fold  pre-millennial  judgment  is  launched. 

Should  it  be  argued  that  the  division  between  the 
sixth  and  the  seventh  trumpets  is  interrupted  by 
the  account  of  the  earthquake  in  chapter  11: 13,  we 
reply  that,  because  an  Initiate,  John — like  the  dis- 
ciples of  Pythagoras — was  pledged  not  to  reveal  the 
secret  number  or  numbers  of  the  Tetragrammaton, 
the  number  or  numbers  that  signify  Jehovah  26=8, 
and  Adonai  65=11,  in  fact  the  Amen  or  19.  Hence, 
to  veil  the  division  of  the  trumpets,  the  13th  verse 
of  chapter  11  was  introduced.  The  wise,  the  initiated, 
would  understand  despite  this  veiling  of  the  Word. 

"12  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth 
seal,  and,  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake;  and  the 
sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon 
became  as  blood."  See  Joel  2:10;  Matt.  24:29. 
The  force  now  liberated  is  that  of  Mercury  and  its 
angel  Raphael.  This  earthquake  is  a  final  warning 
before  the  seventh  seal.  One  versed  in  the  secret 
teachings  would  hold  that  a  great  sinking  on  one  side 
of  the  globe,  and  a  simultaneous  volcanic  upheaval  on 
the  other,  would  darken  both  the  sun  and  the  moon. 

"13  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth, 
even  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she 


54 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind."  Showers  of  incandes- 
cent volcanic  rock  that  had  been  hurled  to  a  great 
height  might  be  likened  to  stars  falling  from  heaven 
upon  the  earth. 

"14  And  the  heavens  departed  as  a  scroll  when 
it  is  rolled  together;  and  every  mountain  and  island 
were  moved  out  of  their  places."  See  Isa.  34:4. 
Oriental  imagery  signifying  total  obscuration  of  the 
blue  sky  and  the  heavenly  lights.  Also  it  indicates 
the  leveling  of  mountains,  and  the  submerging  or  the 
enlarging  of  islands.  Evidently  a  cataclysm  whose 
inciting  cause  is  fire.  Evidently  onje  of  a  series  which 
has  overtaken  the  world  since  the  beginning  of  the 
geological  ages;  in  fact  one  of  those  which,  according 
to  the  ancient  Secret  Teaching,  manifest  alternately 
as  a  fiery,  or  a  watery  outburst.  Of  that  time  Isaiah 
had  prophesied  thus:  '*And  all  the  host  of  heaven 
shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  heavens  shall  be  rolled 
together  as  a  scroll,  and  all  their  host  shall  fall  down, 
as  a  leaf  falleth  off  from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling  fig 
from  the  fig-tree." 

"15  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great 
men,  and  the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and 
the  mighty  men,  and  every  bondman,  and  every  free- 
man, hid  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of 
the  mountains;  16  And  said  to  the  mountains  and 
rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb:  17  For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come; 
and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?"  See  Isa.  2:  19; 
Zeph.  1: 15. 

Verse  15  mentions  seven  kinds  of  men  that  hide 
themselves.      Here  seven  signifies  that  all  men  hide 


55 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

themselves.  Saying  to  the  mountains  and  rocks: 
" Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us,"  does  not  imply  that  all  are 
to  be  punished,  since  some  are  of  the  elect.  The 
words  of  fear  are  used  to  heighten  the  dramatic  effect, 
and  to  show  that  overthrow  of  poise  which  in  such 
an  unprecedented  time  would  terrify  the  strongest. 
That  they  are  terrified  is  indicated  by  the  universal 
utterance:  "For  the  day  of  his  wrath  is  come:  and 
who  shall  be  able  to  stand?" 


56 


Chapter  VII 

AND  after  these  things  I  saw  four  angels  stand- 
ing on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding 
the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind 
should  not  blow  upon  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea,  nor 
on  any  tree."  The  four  angels  are  Michael,  Gabriel, 
Uriel,  and  Raphael,  the  four  guardians  of  the  earth 
first  mentioned  in  Chapter  4:6,  and  there  described 
as  the  four  beasts.  "The  four  winds  of  the  earth," 
typify  the  four  powers  of  these  angels, — the  power 
of  judgment,  of  execution,  of  guidance,  and  of  amelio- 
ration. In  ordinary  times  Raphael  by  the  power  of 
love  holds  back  the  torrent  of  the  retributive  law 
measured  by  Uriel,  and  proceeding  through  Michael, 
and  guided  by  Gabriel;  but  in  a  time  of  reckoning, 
Raphael  must  give  way,  that  the  lost  equilibrium  of 
earthly  things  may  be  re-established.  As  will  be  seen 
in  the  third  verse,  holding  the  four  winds  here  means 
a  short  season  of  respite  both  for  man  and  his  material 
environment. 

"2  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the 
east,  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God:  and  he  cried 
with  a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  was 
given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea."  The  angel  of 
this  verse  is  one  of  the  Sephiroth,  one  of  the  "Seven 
of  the  Presence;"  in  fact  Suriel  whose  planet  is 
Jupiter,  and  he  represents  the  Divine  Will. 

"3  Saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea, 
nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our 
God  in  their  foreheads."     Sealing  in  the  foreheads 


57 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

here  signifies  choosing  openly;  acknowledging  in  the 
sight  of  all  men. 

"4  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  which  were 
sealed;  and  there  were  sealed  an  hundred  and  forty 
and  four  thousand  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of 
Israel."  Elucidation  of  the  verse  requires  the  use  of 
the  Arabic  numerals.  Sealing  here  means  giving  to 
each  of  the  sealed  that  true  number  which  is  con- 
cealed in  144,  or,  what  is  the  same,  144,000.  Nine 
is  the  perfect  number  since  it  is  the  heavenly  10  when 
cramped  into  material  conditions.  The  sum  of  the 
three  digits  144  is  9;  hence  the  144,000  are  the  per- 
fected ones  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
Here  the  children  of  Israel  signify  the  whole  human 
family.  The  perfected  ones  have  passed  successfully 
through  the  2160  years  of  trial. 

"5  Of  the  tribe  of  Juda  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  R'euben  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Gad  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  6  Of  the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Nepthalim  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Manasses  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand.  7  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Levi 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Issacher 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  8  Of  the  tribe  of 
Zabulon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Joseph  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin  were  sealed  twelve  thousand." 

To  one  unused  to  Eastern  methods  of  concealing 
matters  while  seeming  to  reveal  them,  John's  detailed 
enumeration  of  the  elect  of  the  twelve  tribes  would 
appear  a  redundancy  of   words.     Now   the    secret 


58 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

reason  for  this  detail  is  that  Dan  might  thereby  be 
rejected,  and  another  assigned  to  his  place. 

Constructing  their  Zodiac  the  Jews  gave  to  the 
twelve  signs  the  names  of  twelve  tribes.  Because 
Joseph  represented  the  Messiah  to  come,  he  with 
Levi — the  priest  of  Jehovah — was  hidden  in  the 
center  of  the  circle,  and  to  Ephraim  and  Manassah 
were  given  the  station  which  otherwise  the  first  two 
would  have  occupied.  Dan  corresponded  with  Cap- 
ricornus  the  goat.  Now  with  John,  Dan  is  really  a 
human  condition,  one  typifying  Judas  the  cast-out 
of  the  twelve  Apostles;  also  one  typifying  Antichrist. 
As  Judas'  place  among  the  apostles  was  wholly  filled 
by  Paul  the  divinely  appointed  apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, so,  in  the  Revelator's  scheme,  the  defection  of 
Dan  allowed  place,  in  the  name  of  one  of  the  twelve 
tribes,  for  the  worthy  everywhere  beyond  the  bounds 
of  Jewry. 

Although  Reuben  was  the  eldest  son,  in  John's 
enumeration  Judah  is  the  first  mentioned  because 
the  Jewish  Zodiac  gave  to  him  the  sign  Aries,  the 
Ram.  Jacob  and  Abraham  lived  in  the  earlier  centu- 
ries of  Aries ;  and  the  promise  to  the  seed  of  Abraham 
was  fulfilled  under  the  Ram ;  hence  the  appropriate- 
ness of  the  Jewish  daily  sacrifice.  Because  of  the 
ancient  promise  of  Jacob:  "the  sceptre  shall  not 
depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his 
feet  until  Shiloh  come"  the  Jews  believed  their 
Messiah  due  in  the  reign  of  Judah  the  Ram.  If  any 
cryptic  design  exists  in  John's  order  of  the  eleven 
tribes  following  Judah,  it  is  that  Levi,  8,  typifies  Jeho- 
vah, and  Joseph  11,  typifies  Christ;  and  the  sum  of  8 
and  11  is  19,  the  equivalent  of  the  Tetragrammaton. 


59 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Having  said  in  our  explanation  of  the  fourth  verse, 
that  9  and  10  are  the  perfect  numbers,  we  are  at 
once  confronted  by  the  twelve  twelves  which  make 
the  144.  Our  explanation  of  this  anomaly  is  as  fol- 
lows: The  most  ancient  Zodiacs  recognize  but  ten 
divisions.  Therein  Virgo  and  Scorpio  are  deemed  one 
sign,  while  Libra  is  unrecognized.  Such  a  Zodiac 
contains  the  mystery  of  primeval  man,  the  generic 
Adam  before  the  creation  of  Eve  from  his  rib,  or 
rather  from  himself.  By  the  separation  of  Virgo  and 
Scorpio,  and  the  introduction  of  Libra — the  sign  of 
reproductivity, — the  fall  of  man  into  material  genera- 
tion was  indicated.  Because  an  Initiate  of  the  Mys- 
teries, John  certainly  knew  all  this;  hence  to  him  the 
12  was  a  phase  of  the  10,  and  the  144,000  a  phase  of 
the  true  100,000. 

"9  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great  multi- 
tude, which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and 
kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white 
robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands." 

John  was  a  Christian  mystic,  a  converted  Jew  who 
believed  that  while  the  original  promise  was  to  Israel, 
the  casting  out  of  Dan  made  place  for  the  Gentile 
world.  Hence  in  the  "great  multitude"  were  many 
from  all  nations,  the  worthy  of  robes  and  palms. 

"10  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salva- 
tion to  our  God  which  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb.  11  And  all  the  angels  stood  round 
about  the  throne,  and  about  the  elders  and  the  four 
beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and 
worshipped  God."  Those  who  fell  before  the  throne 
were  the  angels,  and  not  the  elders,  and  the  four  beasts. 


60 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

"12  Saying,  Amen:  Blessing,  and  glory,  and 
wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power, 
and  might,  be  unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 
The  verse  begins  and  ends  with  the  sacred  Amen. 
This  word  means  vastly  more  than  Verily,  or,  So  be 
it.  Rightly  understood,  it  signifies  the  beginning,  the 
middle,  and  the  end.  It  is  the  tri-syllable  unpro- 
nounceable by  physical  man  as  now  constituted.  As 
used  by  the  white-robed  multitude,  it  reveals  the 
transmutation  of  their  material  generative  principle 
into  its  spiritual  equivalent.  It  is  in  fact  the  Sacred 
Word  lifted  from  the  bonds  of  matter,  and  become  the 
property  and  expression  of  the  sexless  beings  indicated 
in  the  next  verse. 

"13  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto 
me.  What  are  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes? 
and  whence  came  they?  14  And  I  said  unto  him, 
Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  unto  me,  These  are 
they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have 
washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb."  From  the  standpoint  of  a  first  cen- 
tury writer,  these  are  the  martyrs  of  the  faith  under 
the  Roman  Emperors;  but  in  dealing  with  this  verse, 
and  many  others  in  Revelation,  it  is  unwise  to  be 
satisfied  with  surface  showings.  Every  age  of  the 
Christian  era  had  its  martyrs  and  those  tried  in 
the  fires  of  affliction. 

Washing  their  robes  means  that  purification  where- 
by the  natural  body  sown  in  corruption  is  raised  a 
spiritual  body,  not  at  the  judgment  day,  but  at  any 
earlier  period  as  the  verse  and  the  chapter  indicate. 
To  an  Initiate  of  the  Mysteries  "white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,"  would  have  a  meaning  quite  different 


61 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

from  any  now  accepted.  The  redemptive  work  of 
Jesus  consisted  in  assuming  the  world  debt  on  which 
payment  was  due  even  before  his  advent.  At  that 
advent  he  became  sponsor  for  the  human  family 
until  the  next  great  cycle.  This  sponsorship  he  con- 
firmed by  that  determination  which  led  him  to 
Calvary.  Those  who  have  washed  their  robes  white 
are  they  who  have  improved  to  the  utmost  the  term 
of  probation  which  Jesus'  sponsorship  made  possible. 

"15  Therefore  are  they  before  the  Throne  of  God, 
and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple:  and  he 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them." 
An  ancient  secret  teaching  in  respect  to  the  earth 
and  the  planets  states  that  all  are  inhabited,  and  the 
heaven  or  temple  of  each,  and  also  its  hell,  sur- 
rounds and  even  penetrates  the  material  sphere. 
The  seven  archangels  composing  the  Sephiroth  are 
the  seven  planetary  rulers,  each  of  whom  is  in  the 
seventh  heaven  of  his  planet.  The  multitude  said  to 
be  before  the  throne  of  God,  are  in  the  fifth  and  sixth 
heaven  of  our  earth;  the  heaven  of  John  and  Daniel 
and  every  other  prophet  who  spake  in  symbols,  those 
intermediates  which  bring  heavenly  understanding  of 
things  down  to  the  level  of  human  comprehension. 

As  Swedenborg  discovered,  distance  in  the  spiritual 
world,  especially  in  its  highest  divisions,  is  dependent 
on  mental  and  spiritual  state,.  When  an  angel  of  the 
higher  heavens  is  attuned  to  another,  wheresoever 
existing,  distance  is  annihilated.  Hence  in  verse  9 
we  see  the  angels  of  our  world  contacting  the  throne 
of  the  Divine  Center,  so  that  God  is  said  to  dwell 
with  them.  While  our  explanation  ignores  certain 
intermediates  between  man  and  the  Highest,  it  gives 


62 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

the  idea  conveyed  by  John's  picture,  which,  though 
only  a  symbol,  well  serves  his  purpose.  Nevertheless, 
who  can  deny  that,  in  the  ages  of  progress  ahead,  the 
angels  of  this  lowly  earth  will  attain  to  the  actual 
vision,  and  even  to  the  actual  presence  of  the  Highest? 

"16  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst 
any  more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor 
any  heat."  See  Isa.  49 :  10.  Bodily  hunger  and  thirst 
here  symbolize  the  soul's  hunger  and  thirst  for  truth. 
The  tropical  sun  and  the  desert  heat  symbolize  that 
spiritual  drought  which  no  more  shall  come  upon 
them. 

"17  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto 
living  fountains  of  waters:  and  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes."  See  Psalm  23:  21:  Isa.  25:8. 
One  of  those  beautiful  pictures  of  the  future,  one  of 
the  many  messages  of  hope  and  consolation  which, 
aside  from  the  profound  inner  significance  of  the 
book,  have  placed  Revelation  among  the  greatest 
messages  of  God  to  man. 


63 


Chapter  VIII 

AND  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal, 
there  was  silence  in  heaven  about  the  space 
of  half  an  hour."  This  opening  releases  the 
power  of  the  planet  Jupiter  whose  angel  is  Suriel. 
The  little  time  of  probation  now  is  over.  The  seventh 
seal,  that  of  full  judgment,  is  opened  and  the  four 
harmful  winds,  of  Chapter  7:1,  being  no  longer 
restrained,  can  work  their  evils  upon  the  world.  The 
import  of  the  inner  voice  of  that  silence  is  not 
revealed  by  John.  Only  what  to  physical  ears  would 
be  silence,  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour,  indicated  the 
magnitude  of  the  deed  to  be  performed  against  the 
earth. 

"2  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood 
before  God;  and  to  them  were  given  seven  trumpets." 
These  are  the  angels  of  the  Sephiroth  already 
described.  3  And  another  angel  came  and  stood 
at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer;  and  there  was 
given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it 
with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar 
which  was  before  the  throne."  The  golden  censer 
shows  the  angel  to  be  serving  for  Michael.  The  cry  of 
the  saints  in  chapter  6:  10,  was  largely  answered  at 
the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal.  Much  incense  signifies 
that  like  it  the  prayers  of  the  saints  of  all  ages  have 
penetrated  to  the  golden  altar,  of  which  every  sacri- 
ficiai  altar  is  but  a  symbol. 

"4  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came 
with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before 
God  out  of  the  angel's  hand."     The  smoke  of  the 


64 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

incense  has  here  no  hidden  significance.  It  only 
completes  the  picture  painted  with  the  temple  ser- 
vice in  mind. 

"5  And  the  angel  took  the  censer  and  filled  it 
with  fire  from  the  altar,  and  cast  it  upon  the 
earth:  and  there  were  voices,  and  thunderings,  and 
lightnings,  and  an  earthquake."  The  seed  fire  from 
the  altar  cast  upon  the  earth  is  the  cause  of  the  dis- 
turbances mentioned  in  the  verse,  for  the  earth  womb 
is  now  ready  to  receive  it.  The  material  scientist 
will  assert  that  earthquakes  and  volcanic  outbursts 
depend  wholly  upon  material  causes  located  deep  in 
the  earth's  crust,  and  working  there  in  a  wholly 
mechanical  way.  The  wise  ancients  knew  much 
concerning  what  may  be  called  occult  chemistry. 
They  knew  that  between  mankind  and  the  earth 
exists  a  subtile  sympathy  which  manifests  at  cer- 
tain times  and  seasons:  they  knew  that  human 
passion,  if  sufficiently  aroused  and  widespread,  would 
eventually  manifest  as  a  correspondent  in  the  earth's 
crust,  and  so  prepare  the  earth  womb  for  the  negative 
and  destructive  solar  fire.  Hence  in  all  sacred  writ- 
ings, wars — for  instance — and  earthquakes  are 
coupled  together.  Understanding  of  such  matters 
will  make  plain  that  the  judgments  described  in 
Revelation  are  really  induced  by  man  himself.  Man 
acts  with  violence,  and  the  earth  reacts  in  like  way. 
Thus  in  Isaiah,  29:6,  "Thou  shalt  be  visited  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  with  thunder  and  with  earthquake," 
and  in  Matthew  24:  7,  "For  nation  shall  rise  against 
nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom:  and  there 
shall  be  famines,  and  pestilences,  and  earthquakes,  in 
divers  places." 


65 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

Again  in  Mark  13:  8,  we  have  the  same  prediction, 
and  then  in  Luke  21:11,  "And  great  earthquakes 
shall  be  in  divers  places,  and  famines,  and  pestilences; 
and  fearful  sights  and  great  signs  shall  there  be  from 
heaven."  In  Matthew  27:  51,  we  read:  "And,  behold, 
the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom ;  and  the  earth  did  quake,  and  the  rocks 
rent."  In  the  28th  chapter,  second  verse  we  read: 
"And,  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake:  for  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and  came 
and  rolled  back  the  stone."  Finally  in  Acts  16:26; 
"And  suddenly  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  so  that 
the  foundations  of  the  prison  were  shaken:  and 
immediately  all  the  doors  were  opened,  and  every- 
one's bands  were  loosed." 

"6  And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven 
trumpets  prepared  themselves  to  sound."  The 
seven  angels  are  those  of  the  Sephiroth  already 
described.  These  are  now  prepared  to  sound  the 
Creative  Word  in  its  destructive  aspect,  and  in  seven 
ways  each  of  which  results  in  the  birth  of  an  event. 
The  seven  births  are  the  seven  children  of  earth's 
abnormal  condition. 

"7  The  first  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed 
hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast 
upon  the  earth:  and  the  third  part  of  the  trees  were 
burned  up,  and  all  green  grass  was  burned  up."  See 
Ezek.  38:22.  The  angel  is  the  representative  of 
Michael.  He  is  the  angel  of  the  first  seal  and  of  the 
bow.  What  his  seed  arrows  produced  when  shot  into 
the  earth  is  now  revealed  as  hail  and  fire  and  blood. 
Hail  and  lightning  together  are  not  infrequent,  but 
the  word  blood  indicates  a  result  of  volcanic  action, 


66 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

namely:  quantities  of  descending  lava  or  ashes  of  a 
dull  red  hue  destroying  vegetation  over  a  large  tract; 
not  one-third  of  the  earth ,  but  one- third  of  a  certain  area. 

"8  And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it 
were  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast 
into  the  sea:  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became 
blood."  The  second  angel  is  Raguel,  he  of  the  red 
horse  and  the  great  sword.  Evidently  the  cataclysm 
here  described  is  to  occur  in  the  region  where  the 
sword  of  battle  is  red  with  slaughter.  "As  it  were  a 
great  mountain,  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the 
sea:"  may  mean  that  the  bulk  of  some  huge  volcano 
is  hurled  into  the  water,  or  it  may  signify  a  volcanic 
mountain  rising  from  the  sea.  A  burning  mountain 
in  the  midst  of  the  sea  would  be  reflected  as  blood 
upon  the  waters  around  it. 

"9  And  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which 
were  in  the  sea,  and  had  life,  died;  and  the  third  part 
of  the  ships  were  destroyed."  Because  of  the  sea- 
volcano,  a  third  part  of  the  fish  are  scalded,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  ships  burned  in  an  area  of  water 
perhaps  as  large  as  the  Mediterranean  sea. 

"10  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell 
a  great  star  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp, 
and  it  fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon 
the  fountains  of  waters."  To  make  evident  the 
nature  of  this  star  we  shall  paraphrase  a  page  from 
the  Mystery  Teachings:  Aries  and  Libra  are  the 
axial  ends  of  the  Zodiac.  Because  in  the  equinoctical 
procession  the  north  pole  of  the  earth  describes  a 
circle,  the  immovable  Zodiac  seems  to  turn  westward 
like  a  great  wheel.  So  Aries  and  Libra  never  are  seen 
as  stationary  signs.    Aries  the  Lamb  symbolizes  Divine 


67 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHl^ 

Love,  and  Libra  the  balance  symbolizes  Divine 
Justice.  Now  Divine  Love  and  Justice  change  not 
however  much  their  heavenly  signs  may  seem  so  to  do. 
Therefore  when  Aries-Libra  gives  way  to  Pisces- 
Virgo,  the  earth  still  experiences  love  and  justice, 
but  modified,  though  still  expressed  by  this  doublet; 
and  then  by  Capricornus-Cancer  and  the  doublets 
which  follow.  Thus  Aries-Libra  is  an  all-inclusive  and 
ever-present  sign,  and  hence  the  honor  accorded  to 
the  Lamb  throughout  Revelation. 

The  great  star  whose  influence  has  fallen  from 
heaven,  is  the  planet  sacred  to  Gabriel,  and  also  to 
Libra.  This  planet  is  the  now  invisible  one  known 
to  the  ancient  Wise,  and  for  which  modern  Astrology 
has  substituted  the  dead  and  fallible  moon.  Gabriel's 
planet  is  indicated  by  the  number  10,  and  its  move- 
ments, together  with  those  of  the  visible  moon  whose 
number  is  9,  reveal  the  correct  time  of  earthly  events. 
Lastly,  Gabriel's  planet  is  the  one  composed  of  that 
finer  than  terrestrial  substance  through  which  the 
Sun  pours  a  pure  violet  light.  This  planet  becomes 
visible  from  time  to  time  in  the  world's  history,  but 
then  only  because  of  certain  psychical  conditions 
which  great  happenings  cast  upon  the  human  race. 
It  is  the  star  of  the  Magi  and  of  the  Cradle;  and  the 
star  of  generation  which  must  have  shone  upon 
Abraham  what  time  the  Lord  promised  that  from  him 
should  spring  a  mighty  nation.  If  in  Aries-Libra  the 
star  meant  generation,  and  in  Pisces- Virgo  it  signi- 
fied promise,  so  in  Aquarius-Leo  it  will  foretell  judg- 
ment upon  the  wicked. 

"And  it  fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and 
upon  the  fountains  of  waters."     As  the  dead  moon 


68 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

affects  the  ocean  waters,  so  with  many  the  violet 
planet,  grown  visible,  will  affect  harmfully  the  life 
currents,  and  the  heart,  that  fountain  of  the  blood. 

"11  And  the  name  of  the  star  is  called  Worm- 
wood :  and  the  third  part  of  the  waters  became  worm- 
wood; and  many  men  died  of  the  waters,  because 
they  were  bitter."  This  is  the  star  of  that  equalizer 
of  accounts  who,  after  the  third  seal,  went  forth  on  a 
black  horse.  Evidently  the  star  of  Gabriel — that 
knower  of  all  secret  events — is  to  appear  at  the  end 
of  a  short  and  black  cycle  of  years.  This  event  will 
indicate  bitter  things  to  that  one-third  of  mankind 
who  deserve  them. 

"12  And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the 
moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the  stars;  so  as  the  third 
part  of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not 
for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  likewise."  This 
is  the  trumpet  of  the  angel  who,  at  the  opening  of 
the  fourth  seal,  was  symbolized  as  riding  on  a  pale 
horse  with  Death  and  Hell  in  his  train.  The  darken- 
ing of  a  third  part  of  the  sunlight  and  the  moonlight 
and  the  starlight  is  brought  about  through  the  power 
of  Saturn  whose  angelic  ruler  is  Jerahmeel.  The 
verse  indicates  spiritual  blindness,  and  evidently 
more  affecting  a  third  of  the  human  race,  also  it 
may  indicate  peculiar  atmospheric  conditions  which 
obscure  the  heavenly  lights. 

Again,  this  darkening  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
also  foretold  in  chapter  6:12,  and  which  had  been 
prophesied  by  the  Master  himself  in  Matthew  24:  29, 
and  in  Mark  13:  24,  and  by  Isaiah,  will  admit 
of  a  third  interpretation;  one  unknown  to  physical 


69 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

science,  but  no  doubt  familiar  to  John.  The  Sun  is  a 
huge  dynamo  whose  source  of  light,  heat,  and  electri- 
city, is  in  the  unseen  Centre  of  Being.  For  our  solar 
system  the  sun  is  the  positive  pole  of  light,  and  every 
planet  and  its  every  creature  has  within  itself  the 
negative  pole  of  that  light;  hence  the  connection  is 
complete. 

Normal  man  and  his  normal  world  are  receptive 
of  that  quantity  and  quality  of  the  Sun's  light  which, 
through  the  ages,  they  have  been  accustomed  to. 
However,  when  whole  nations  become  as  abnormal 
as  single  individuals  sometimes  do,  then  through 
sympathy  the  earth  itself  is  similarly  affected,  and 
is  receptive  of  less  than  its  proper  sunlight,  or  else  it 
receives  some  abnormal  phase  thereof.  As  for  man, 
because  the  human  eye  is  but  an  outward  material 
organ  dependent  upon  the  soul  within,  to  him  in 
.abnormal  times  the  Sun  will  seem  as  dark  as  to 
the  devils  of  whom  Swedenborg  tells ;  also  the  reflected 
light  of  the  moon  will  undergo  a  change,  and  even 
the  light  of  the  stars. 

"13  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud 
voice.  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  by  the  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trumpet 
of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound."  The 
verse  can  be  passed  without  comment  since  by  means 
of  it  the  drama  is  continued  into  the  next  chapter. 


70 


Chapter  IX 

AND  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star 
fall  from  heaven  upon  the  earth ;  and  to  him 
was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit."» 
The  star  is  Venus  whose  angel  is  Uriel  of  the  fifth 
seal.  Because  of  the  abnormal  condition  of  the 
earth  womb  indicated  in  chapter  8:5,  that  womb  is 
here  likened  to  the  pit  of  hell  the  key  to  which 
is  the  penetrating  negative  Venusian  rays  which,  like 
the  negative  solar  rays,  become  operative  under  certain 
conditions. 

"2  And  he  opened  the  bottomless  pit;  and  there 
arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great 
furnace;  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by 
reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit."  The  verse  indicates 
abnormal  conditions  like  those  described  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  or  else  it  means  wide  and  deep  fis- 
sures in  the  earth  crust  from  which  escape  sulphurous 
fumes  and  smoke  of  hidden  fires  filling  the  air,  and 
darkening  the  sun. 

'*3  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts 
upon  the  earth:  and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as 
the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have  power."  The  locusts 
can  be  explained  in  two  ways;  the  first  explanation 
is  that  they  are  gases  poison  to  man,  hence  they  are 
likened  to  venomous  serpents.  They  are  in  fact  the 
negative  sun  seeds  quickened  by  the  negative  Venusian 
fires,  and  risen  from  the  earth  as  countless  atoms  of 
gaseous  poison. 

"4  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they 
should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither  any 


71 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

green  thing,  neither  any  tree;  but  only  those  men 
which  have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads." 
See  Ezek.  9 : 4.  The  command  that  the  locusts  hurt 
not  the  vegetation  should  be  noted.  Many  gases 
inimical  to  animal  life  are  innocuous,  or  even  bene- 
ficial where  vegetable  life  is  concerned.  That  the 
locusts  should  harm  only  the  unsealed,  those  not  of 
the  144,000,  would  indicate  that  the  plague  is  con- 
fined to  certain  localities. 

"5  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should 
not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should  be  tormented 
five  months:  and  their  torment  was  as  the  torment  of 
a  scorpion,  when  he  striketh  a  man."  While  not 
fatal,  the  plague  is  to  last  for  five  months.  The  key 
to  these  months  is  the  lunar  cycle  of  nineteen  years, 
here  reckoned  as  one  year;  hence  the  plague  is  to  last 
a  little  less  than  eight  years;  in  fact  five- twelfths  of 
nineteen  years.  That  its  torment  is  compared  to  that 
of  a  scorpion  would  indicate  some  eruptive  disease 
affecting  the  entire  cuticle. 

"6  And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death,  and 
shall  not  find  it;  and  shall  desire  to  die,  and  death 
shall  flee  from  them."  The  fiery  nature  of  this  erup- 
tion is  such  that  death  would  seem  a  relief.  The 
above  in  respect  to  the  locusts  is  but  a  literal  inter- 
pretation of  a  distemper  which  probably  is  physi- 
ological, and  burns  as  a  fever  in  the  minds  of  men, 
thus  inciting  them  to  civil  strife,  and  anarchy  like 
that  witnessed  in  France  during  the  Revolution.  Our 
interpretation  of  the  next  five  verses  will  conform 
to  this  second  explanation. 

"7  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle;  and  on  their  heads  were 


72 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

as  it  were  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as 
the  faces  of  men."  This  description  warrants  the 
second  theory  in  respect  to  these  creatures.  The 
Revelator  is  describing  things  visible  only  to  super- 
physical  sense.  ,  The  locusts  are  hellish  thought 
forms  evolved  and  shaped  by  human  hatred,  and 
violence.  They  move  swiftly  even  as  hatred  flies 
from  one  to  another  among  men.  They  enact  the  \ 
part  of  tyrant  kings,  for  they  are  crowned  with 
spurious  gold.  That  they  have  human  intelligence 
is  evident  since  their  faces  are  those  of  men. 

"8  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and 
their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions."  See  Joel  1:6. 
Long  hair  usually  denotes  strength,  but  here  it  denotes 
that  these  thought  forms  emanate  from  the  minds  of 
evil  women  as  well  as  evil  men.  Besides  hate,  like 
love  its  opposite,  is  a  feminine  quality.  T^hat  these 
forms  have  lion's  teeth  shows  a  savage  nature  and  an 
ability  to  rend  their  victims^ 

"9  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breast- 
plates of  iron;  and  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as 
the  sound  of  chariots  of  many  horses  running  to 
battle."  Breastplates  of  iron  signify  that  they  are 
not  easily  vanquished  being  in  fact  almost  invulner- 
able. Though  the  sound  of  their  wings  is  as  described, 
that  sound  is  audible  only  to  the  super-physical  ear. 

"10  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions,  and 
there  were  stings  in  their  tails:  and  their  power  was 
to  hurt  men  five  months."  The  five  months  are  the 
eight  years  already  mentioned.  Evil  thought  forms <.. 
are  always  of  fantastic  or  horrible  shape.  Horses 
eager  for  battle,  lions  hungering  for  prey,  and 
scorpions   ready   to   strike,   are   similes   intended   to 


73 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

depict  the  utter  malignity  of  the  men,  and  even  the 
women,  who  created  these  creatures. 

"11  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is 
the  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue 
hath  his  name  Apollyon."  Abaddon  is  the  beast;  the 
antipodes,  and  dark  counterfeit,  and  natural  antago- 
nist of  the  leonine  Michael. 

"12  One  woe  is  past;  and,  behold,  there  come 
two  woes  more  hereafter."  The  verse  requires  no 
comment.  "13  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and 
I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar 
which  is  before  God."  The  golden  altar  is  the  sun 
now  in  Aquarius.  The  four  horns  of  the  altar  are  the 
four  quarters  of  the  heavens,  and  the  four  corners 
of  the  earth  guarded  by  Michael,  Gabriel,  Uriel,  and 
Raphael. 

"14  Saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the 
trumpet.  Loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in 
the  great  river  Euphrates."  The  sixth  angel  is 
Raphael  whose  planet  is  Mercury.  The  mysterious 
Euphrates  flows  from  the  holy  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
the  Olympus  of  the  Greeks,  the  great  and  high  Meru 
of  the  Hindoos.  That  mountain  is  the  solar  orb,  the 
fountain-head  wherefrom  the  streaming  rays  nourish 
the  earth  even  to  its  four  corners.  Not  only  in  Gene- 
sis, but  in  certain  other  occult  writings,  the  solar  rays 
are  divided  into  four  streams.  To  Michael  belong 
the  golden  rays,  to  Gabriel  the  violet,  to  Uriel  the 
dark  blue,  and  to  Raphael  the  yellow.  That  these 
angels  and  their  rays  have  never  been  bound  is 
evident  from  their  activities  already  described.  The 
loosing  means  that  the  energy  of  the  so-called  angels 


74 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

of  the  four  divisions  of  the  Zodiac  is  now  to  be  liber- 
ated against  the  earth.  These  divisions  are  those  of 
Aries,  Taurus,  and  Gemini,  the  sky  controllers;  Cancer, 
Leo,  and  Virgo,  the  rulers  of  the  rivers;  Libra,  Scorpio, 
and  Sagittarius  presiding  over  the  land;  and  Cap- 
ricornus,  Aquarius,  and  Pisces,  the  lords  of  the 
oceans. 

"15  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which  were 
prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a 
year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men."  Here,  as  in 
verses  5  and  10,  the  measure  of  time  is  the  lunar 
cycle  of  about  19  years  of  360  days  each.  Prophetic 
time  and  astronomic  time  rarely  agree  to  a  nicety; 
hence  the  impossibility  of  determining  exactly  the 
falling  due  of  any  prediction  of  the  Hebrew  prophets. 
The  time  indicated  in  verse  15  is  19  hours,  19  days, 
19  months,  and  19  years.  At  first  thought  it  seems 
absurd  that  these  hours  and  days  should  be  added 
to  the  months  and  years.  Since  weeks  are  here 
omitted,  it  may  be  that  nineteen  weeks  would  make 
the  total  excessive,  and  that  a  nearly  correct  period 
could  be  better  indicated  by  the  days  and  hours. 
The  sum  of  the  four  periods  is  about  twenty  years, 
seven  months,  and  nineteen  days,  reckoning  360  days 
as  a  year,  or  twenty  years  and  four  months,  reckoning 
365J4  days  as  a  year. 

This  period  almost  equals  the  three  and  one-half 
days  of  chapter  11:9.  In  the  light  of  the  verses 
which  follow,  the  words  "to  slay  the  third  part  of 
men"  evidently  mean  war  on  a  huge  scale.  This  war 
of  the  ages  began  in  1898  on  the  super- physical  plane, 
but  was  not  brought  down  to  the  material  plane  until  / 
1914. 


75 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

"16  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horse- 
men were  two  hundred  thousand  thousand:  and  I 
heard  the  number  of  them."  The  horsemen  are  what 
are  known  as  "fiery  lives."  They  are  the  sun  atoms 
or  seeds  whose  normal  office  is  to  enter  into  every 
kind  of  seed  sown  in  the  earth.  In  the  abnormal 
times  of  which  Revelation  treats,  these  seeds  enter 
the  human  mind  and  germinate  as  those  impulses 
which  set  nation  against  nation  in  universal  war. 
"Two  hundred  thousand  thousand"  means  a  vast 
but  indefinite  number. 

"17  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and 
them  that  sat  on  them,  having  breastplates  of  fire, 
and  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone:  and  the  heads  of  the 
horses  were  as  the  heads  of  lions;  and  out  of  their 
mouths  issued  fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone."  To 
the  well-informed  it  is  evident  that  the  Revelator 
holds  firmly  a  belief  in  Zodiacal,  solar,  and  planetary 
influence  upon  this  earth  and  its  inhabitants.  In 
an  age  of  discovery  which  has  made  known  and 
usable  the  material  currents  of  force  circulating 
around  the  globe,  are  we  not  warranted  in  arguing 
that  like  currents  flow  from  planet  to  planet,  and 
even  from  star  to  star?  In  an  age  which  is  demon- 
strating that  super-physical  currents  emanate  from 
mind  to  mind,  can  we  not  contend  that  the  collective 
life  of  one  planet  can  influence  the  collective  life  of 
another?  Assent  to  these  questions  will  place  the 
ancient  Astrology — once  the  serious  study  and  occu- 
pation of  the  wise — upon  its  former  footing,  and 
vindicate  the  claim  of  Revelation  to  be  a  reliable 
forecast  of  things  to  come  at  the  end  of  the  Piscean 
age. 


76 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

Like  the  horses  of  verse  7,  those  of  verse  17  are 
prepared  unto  battle,  but  battle  more  dreadful  than 
any  civil  strife ;  battle  more  general  than  any  previous 
ones,  for  this  is  the  first  Armageddon,  the  type  of  the 
final  Armageddon  to  be  fought  at  the  end  of  the 
millennial  period.  "Breastplates  of  fire,  and  of 
jacinth,  and  brimstone"  constitute  a  triple  armor 
more  defensive  than  that  of  the  locusts.  The  lion- 
headed  horses  are  of  solar  origin,  for  Leo  the  heavenly 
lion  symbolizes  the  sun.  The  fire  and  smoke  and 
brimstone  from  the  horses'  mouths  suggest  hell 
rather  than  heaven,  but  John  is  describing  the 
negative  solar  force-atoms,  and  hell  is  but  heaven 
reversed. 

"18  By  these  three  were  the  third  part  of  men 
killed  by  the  fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  brim- 
stone, which  issued  out  of  their  mouths."  The  nega- 
tive solar  atoms  enter  the  minds  of  evil  men  whose 
arms  and  swords  and  every  means  of  aggression 
become  theirs.  These  aggressive  forces  are  here 
named  smoke,  and  fire,  and  brimstone.  The  multi- 
tudes killed  by  them  are  denominated  the  third  part 
of  men. 

"19  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth,  and  in 
their  tails:  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents  and 
had  heads,  and  with  them  they  do  hurt."  The  ser- 
pent is  the  emblem  both  of  Divine  Wisdom  and 
fiendish  cunning.  The  fire  from  the  mouths  of  the 
serpents  may  be  the  pure  creative  fire,  or  its  lurid 
and  destructive  opposite.  That  the  heavenly  and 
the  hellish  should  emanate  from  the  solar  source  is 
indeed  paradoxical.  To  speak  plainer  than  in  our 
explanation  of  verse  12,  chapter  8,  the  solution  of 


77 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  matter  is  that,  when  emanated,  these  solar  forces 
are  neutral,  but  afterwards  they  take  to  themselves 
the  characteristics  of  the  soil  wherein  they  germinate, 
whether  that  soil  be  the  human  heart,  or  the  earth 
womb.  Evidently  the  sting  like  that  of  the  serpent 
is  an  enforced  characteristic  for,  according  to  the 
ancient  Secret  Science,  the  venom  of  snakes  and  the 
savagery  of  beasts  have  in  a  large  degree  been  thrust 
upon  them  by  the  obsessing  will  of  evil  men. 

"20  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not 
killed  by  these  plagues  yet  repented  not  of  the  works 
of  their  hands,  that  they  should  not  worship  devils, 
and  idols  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  stone, 
and  of  wood:  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor 
walk."  As  already  stated,  the  sixth  trumpet  cor- 
responds with  the  sixth  seal.  From  the  awful  hap- 
penings following  the  opening  of  that  seal,  one  would 
suppose  the  end  of  all  things  to  be  at  hand;  but, 
from  what  is  stated  in  the  above  verse,  it  is  evident 
that  that  exaggeration  which  characterizes  oriental 
imagery  has  entered  largely  into  the  description  from 
verse  12  to  the  end  of  chapter  6.  Moreover,  it  is 
very  probable  that  the  entire  book  of  Revelation  is 
highly  colored,  in  fact  over-colored  if  judged  by 
Western  standards.  Nevertheless,  we  object  to  the 
methods  of  those  who  interpret  Revelation  as  if  in 
every  particular  a  symbolical  book:  those  to  whom, 
for  instance,  earth  always  represents  society;  moun- 
tains, kingdoms;  heavens,  the  power  of  spiritual 
control ; seas,  the  restless,  turbulent, dissatisfied  masses; 
fire,  devastation;  and  earthquake,  social  revolution 
and  anarchy. 

Notwithstanding  this,   the  intent  of  verse   20   is 


78 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

plain  enough.  It  declares  that,  despite  of  every  warn- 
ing and  portent,  the  world  at  large  will  continue  in 
the  old  way,  eating  and  drinking  gluttonously,  and 
marrying  and  giving  in  marriage  in  its  most  carnal 
sense,  and  bowing  down  to  Mammon,  and  selling 
itself  for  those  things  which  perish  in  the  using. 

"21  Neitjjer  repented  they  of  their  murders  nor 
of  their  sorceries,  nor  of  their  fornications,  nor  of  their 
thefts."  In  this  indictment  the  Revelator  depicts 
that  deep  of  degradation  into  which  the  wicked  have 
sunk  themselves.  This  condition  is  possible  in  a  time 
of  revealing  when  all  things,  bad  as  well  as  good,  are 
thrown  to  the  surface  of  human  life  that  there  the 
good  may  be  gathered  up  and  preserved,  and  the 
bad  may  be  destroyed  as  by  fire. 


79 


Chapter  X 

FOLLOWING  our  usual  method  we  now  take 
up,  verse  by  verse,  the  great  matters  sym- 
bolized in  chapter  10. 
"And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  coming  down 
from  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud :  and  a  rainbow  was 
upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun, 
and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire."  "Clothed  with  a 
cloud"  signifies  mystery,  as  appears  in  the  fourth 
verse.  The  rainbow  upon  his  head  promises  peace 
after  the  world  storm  has  spent  its  fury;  also  it  is  a 
clue  to  a  matter  mentioned  in  the  next  verse.  "And 
his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun"  shows  that  he  acts 
for  Michael  the  Sun  as  judgment  matured  and  oper- 
ative. "And  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire"  reveals  him 
to  be  the  archangel  Raphael  who  understands  all 
things  through  Love.  His  planet  is  Mercury  the 
guardian  of  the  East  and  of  the  ocean  waters,  whereas 
Uriel,  or  Venus  is  the  guardian  of  the  West  and  of 
the  dry  land.  As  Swedenborg  did  not  believe  in  arch- 
angels, nor  in  any  ranks  between  God  and  man, 
his  explanation  of  this  chapter  is  much  aside  from  the 
meaning  of  John. 

"2  And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book  open: 
and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and  his  left 
foot  upon  the  earth."  The  little  book  open  held 
matters  which,  though  relating  to  the  end  of  the  age, 
are  yet  revealable  at  a  somewhat  earlier  time.  To 
one  who  understands  the  next  sentence,  the  angel 
looks  to  the  South,  that  land  of  mystery,  symbolized 
by  Gabriel's  moon,  the  planet  of  generation  both  of 


80 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

men  and  events,  while  his  left  foot  touches  that  part 
of  the  Tetrad  over  which  stands  the  Great  Pyramid, 
and  his  right  foot  rests  upon  the  opposite  point  of  the 
Tetrad  near  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  The  Tetrad  is 
explained  in  the  next  chapter.  As  the  rainbow  is  an 
arch  spanning  the  sky,  so  the  curve  of  the  globe  below 
the  feet  of  the  angel  is  a  half  circle.  A  mystery  above 
and  a  mystery  below. 

"3  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion 
roareth:  and  when  he  had  cried,  seven  thunders 
uttered  their  voices."  Acting  for  Michael,  Raphael 
is  lion-like,  and  his  voice  is  that  of  the  king  of  beasts; 
a  voice  whose  appropriate  reply  would  be  the  seven 
thunders  containing  the  fulness  of  mystery. 

"4  And  when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered 
their  voices,  I  was  about  to  write:  and  I  heard  a 
voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  seal  up  those 
things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write 
them  not."  The  Revelator  gives  in  number  and 
symbol  many  things  for  our  deciphering;  but  other 
things  are  not  for  our  knowing  save  as  the  months 
and  years  reveal  them.  Full  knowledge  of  the  future 
would  paralyze  human  effort,  and  leave  man  a  prey 
unto  dread  of  the  inevitable.  No  doubt  the  unwrit- 
ten things  were  specific  statements,  detail  of  events 
due  at  the  end  of  the  age. 

"5  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the 
sea,  and  upon  the  earth  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven, 
6  And  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever, 
who  created  heaven,  and  the  things  that  therein  are, 
and  the  earth,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and 
the  sea,  and  the  things  that  are  therein,  that  there 
should  be  time  no  longer."     The  angel's  hand  up- 


81 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

lifted  signifies  truth  in  respect  to  great  matters. 
His  swearing  by  God  and  his  creation,  both  in  heaven 
and  earth,  that  time  should  be  no  longer,  signifies  a 
mighty  event  affecting  the  whole  earth,  and  con- 
sequently its  established  order  of  time,  also  it  hints 
mysteriously  at  the  destruction  of  the  mystic  Baby- 
lon. The  ancients  made  360  days  a  divine  year  and, 
to  conform  with  the  material  facts,  they  added  five 
and  one-fourth  days,  those  which  inharmony  had 
added  to  the  earth's  true  orbital  time.  This  addition 
because  they  believed  that,  in  the  golden  age  before 
the  flood,  the  360-day  year  obtained.  The  Re  vela  tor 
would  have  us  understand  that  after  a  prophesied 
event  earthly  time  would  again  be  changed. 

"7  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of 
God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his 
servants  the  prophets."  The  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel  is  to  be  followed  by  the  final  and  greater  earth- 
quake and  the  Judgment  of  Babylon  due  before  the 
beginning  of  the  millennial  period.  This  period 
should  last  nearly  2,000  years. 

"8  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven 
spake  unto  me  again,  and  said,  Go  and  take  the 
little  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand  of  the  angel 
which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth." 
A  simple  statement  requiring  no  comment. 

"9  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him, 
Give  me  the  little  book.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Take 
it,  and  eat  it  up ;  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but 
shall  be  in  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey."  The  learned 
in  the  Secret  Science  will  understand  that  the  angel's 
right  foot  upon  the  sea  indicated  the  spot  at  the 


82 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

edge  of  Raphael's  dominion,  where  the  nucleus  of  a 
continent  shall  be  lifted  up.  Perhaps  the  book 
revealed  the  beauties  of  that  land  and  the  perfection 
of  its  people.  So  at  first  thought,  or  in  the  mouth, 
it  would  be  like  honey. 

"10  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's 
hand,  and  ate  it  up;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet 
as  honey:  and  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was 
bitter."  See  Ezek.  3:  3.  The  verse  means  that  while 
the  fair  promises  of  the  book  were  to  be  fulfilled, 
digestion  of  it,  or  consideration  of  its  contents,  revealed 
that  the  rise  of  old  Lemuria  would  cause  a  correspond- 
ing depression  on  the  globe's  opposite  side;  perhaps 
a  great  enlargement  of  the  Mediterranean  basin 
northward  and  perhaps  southward.  This  calamity 
would  involve  regions  well  known  to  John  and  no 
doubt  dear  to  him. 

"11  And  he  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophesy 
again  before  many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues, 
and  kings."  Evidently  the  prophecy  would  refer  to 
the  judgment  upon  the  European  peoples;  and  for 
nineteen  centuries  have  not  peoples  and  nations  and 
tongues  and  kings  had  before  their  eyes  the  tenth 
chapter  of  Revelation? 


83 


Chapter  XI 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  fact  that  chapter 
9:  16  dealt  with  the  sixth  trumpet,  the 
eleventh  chapter  deals  with  events  begun 
when,  in  the  great  Zodiacal  cycle,  the  sun  entered  the 
outskirts  of  Pisces-Virgo  about  two  hundred  and  sixty 
years  before  the  year  that,  according  to  general 
belief,  witnessed  the  birth  of  Messiah.  That  he  did 
not  appear  at  the  possible  beginning  of  the  cycle  was 
due  to  several  causes.  His  number  then  was  Pisces 
11  and  Virgo  10.  From  these,  according  to  the 
method  of  John,  is  derived  the  secret  number  111. 
Therefore  Messiah  would  not  appear  until  HI  years 
after  the  Sun's  faintest  contact  with  Pisces.  Again, 
other  reasons  still  further  delayed  his  advent,  for 
instance,  the  maturing  of  the  Jewish  period  of  which 
he  would  be  the  Judge.  The  cycle  of  Pisces-Virgo 
ended  its  direct  influence  in  the  sign  of  Capricornus 
on  December  21,  1899.  These  are  the  corrected 
figures. 

Often  our  figures  are  the  uncorrected  ones,  those 
of  the  Initiates  and  Prophets;  in  fact  the  ideal  figures 
proper  to  the  geometrically  constructed  universe 
when  undisturbed  by  marring  influences.  These 
figures  allow  360  days  for  the  solar,  and  354  1-3  days 
for  the  lunar  year.  To  the  solar  year  the  Initiates 
added  5>^  days  of  travail,  or  delayed  delivery;  where- 
as to  the  lunar  year  they  added  about  11  days. 
That  the  Initiates  always  obtained  results  satis- 
factory to  modern  astronomers,  is  proved  by  the 
measurements  preserved  in  the  Great  Pyramid. 


84 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

Following  our  usual  method,  let  us  take  the  entire 
chapter  verse  by  verse  and  discover  the  central 
meaning  of  each.  As  for  the  secondary  meanings 
contained  in  every  verse,  we  leave  them  to  those  who 
interpret  Revelations  from  a  merely  astrological,  or 
a  wholly  theosophical  viewpoint. 

"And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod; 
and  the  angels  stood  saying:  Rise,  and  measure  the 
temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that  worship 
therein."  See  Ezek.  40:  3-5.  To  make  this  verse  plain 
we  must  explain  the  mystery  of  the  Tetrad.  The 
ancient  Initiates  well  knew  the  jearth  to  be  outwardly 
a  sphere,  and  inwardly  a  doublo  pyramid  joined  at  its 
■^wo  rectangular  baeee,  thus  forming  the  oquare.  This 
was  placed  within  the  spherical  shell  so  that  one  point 
touched  the  north  pole,  and  the  other  the  south  pole, 
while  the  remaining  six  points  touched  the  globe's 
circumference  at  places  sixty  degrees  apart. 

The  center  and  the  upper  and  lower  ends  of  the 
Tetrad  were  stable,  while  the  six  points  revolved 
around  them.  The  upper  point  of  the  Tetrad  cor- 
responded with  the  Sun,  and  was  the  earthly  Mount 
Meru  of  the  Hindoos,  the  material  Olympus  of  the 
initiate  Greeks,  the  holy  mountain  of  Isaiah,  and  the 
primal  Eden  of  Genesis  from  which  originated  the 
four  rivers  flowing  to  the  earth's  circumference  where 
four  points  of  the  Tetrad  touch  it.  Much  of  this  has 
been  set  forth  by  the  great  pyramid  of  Cheops  which 
stands  on  one  of  the  six  points  of  the  Tetrad.  We 
may  be  sure  that  John  had  knowledge  of  the  facts 
above  given. 

"The  Temple  of  God"  is  the  upper  half  of  the 
Tetrad  and  the  immovable  center  is  the  altar,  that 


85 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

which  in  most  ancient  times,  before  the  shifting  of 
the  earth's  poles,  was  approached  from  the  north; 
therefore  the  entrances  to  the  Egyptian  pyramids 
are  on  the  north  side.  In  the  Great  Pyramid  the 
entrance  leads  by  a  straight  and  narrow  way  to  the 
king's  chamber,  once  frequented  by  such  as  John 
proves  himself  to  be. 

"2  But  the  court  which  is  without  the  temple 
leave  out,  and  measure  it  not;  for  it  is  given  unto  the 
Gentiles:  and  the  holy  city  shall  they  tread  under 
foot  forty  and  two  months."  The  outer  earth  is  the 
spherical  shell  of  the  true  earth.  This  outer  is  the 
appropriate  dwelling  of  those  who  live  in  external 
truth  and  in  the  worship  of  Mammon.  Etecause 
impermanent,  the  outer  was  not  worthy  of  measure- 
ment. 

The  holy  city  is  both  literally  and  spiritually 
beneath  the  careless  feet  of  those  typified  as  Gentiles, 
and  for  forty  and  two  months.  Following  the  ancient 
method,  our  elucidation  employs  the  occult  Arabic 
numerals.  These  months  are  the  1260  days  or  years 
to  be  explained  in  our  exposition  of  the  next  chap- 
ter. 1260  is  a  blind.  ^The  real  number  is  2160. 
The  numerical  equivalent  of  2160  is  9,  while  42  is 
expressed  by  its  reduced  number  6.  If  9  express 
perfect  conditions,  then  the  inverted  9  here  will  indi- 
cate the  opposite,  therefore  the  6  signifies  the  treading 
under  foot  of  the  holy  city  during  the  1260  days,  or 
2160  years.  Our  interpretation  is  not  arbitrary,  for 
it  conforms  to  the  method  of  the  ancients. 

"3  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  witnesses, 
and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  three-score  days  clothed  in  sackcloth."      The 


86 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

witnesses  are  the  Zodiacal  powers  Pisces  and  Virgo 
the  dispensers  of  rigid  Justice,  and  their  term  of 
office  is  the  2160  years  above  mentioned.  The  cloth- 
ing in  sackcloth  indicates  unpleasant  duty  per- 
formed. 

"4  These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two 
candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth." 
The  two  olive  trees  symbolize  the  physical  good  and 
the  spiritual  hope  and  refreshing  which  they  mete 
to  the  deserving.  The  two  candlesticks  symbolize 
the  light  of  those  two  equal  truths  action  and  reaction. 
By  means  of  these  in  operation  equilibrium  is  estab- 
lished, and  the  poise  of  the  world  is  preserved. 

"5  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their 
enemies:  and  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  he  must  in 
this  manner  be  killed."  The  verse  makes  plain  that 
the  Zodiacal  powers,  those  loftiest  beings  knowable 
by  man,  are  instruments  of  the  Law.  That  Law, 
which  proceeds  from  the  great  Center  of  Being, 
requires  that  they  dispense  impartial  justice;  hence 
the  symbol  of  devouring  their  enemies  and  killing 
those  who  hurt  them. 

"6  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it 
rain  not  in  the  days  of  their  prophecy:  and  have 
power  over  waters  to  turn  them  to  blood,  and  to 
smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues,  as  often  as  they 
will."  Whatever  of  drouth  and  famine  and  pesti- 
lence these  bring  upon  the  earth  will  be  but  the 
recompense  of  man's  demerit.  See  I  Kings  11:  1; 
Ex.  7:10. 

"7  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their 
testimony,  the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottom- 


87 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

less  pit  shall  make  war  against  them,  and  shall 
overcome  them,  and  shall  kill  them."  Toward  the 
close  of  the  Pisces- Virgo  period,  when  the  power  of 
the  two  has  diminished  almost  to  the  vanishing  point, 
the  dark  forces  seizing  the  opportunity,  counteract 
and  finally  nullify  their  efforts.  Hence  the  symbol  of 
overcoming  and  killing. 

"8  And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street 
of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom 
and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified."  See 
Heb.  13:  12.  By  the  great  city  is  meant  the  spheri- 
cal earth  here  likened,  by  way  of  emphasis,  to  Sodom 
the  place  of  destruction,  and  Egypt,  the  house  of 
bondage.  In  its  original  intent  Jerusalem  typified  the 
holy  Tetrad,  the  new  Jerusalem.  Hence  Christ  was 
crucified  beyond  the  city  walls,  and  on  a  mount 
which  typified  the  outer  material  earth ;  afterward  his 
body  was  laid  in  a  tomb  which  typified  the  streets  of 
the  great  city.  In  that  tomb  the  Lord  typified  the 
vanished  power  of  Pisces-Virgo  at  the  end  of  the  age. 

"9  And  they  of  the  people  and  kindreds  and 
tongues  and  nations  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three 
days  and  an  half,  and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead 
bodies  to  be  put  in  graves."  The  peoples  and  kindreds 
and  tongues  and  nations  are  the  great  multitude 
who,  having  heard  the  warnings  of  these  witnesses, 
are  still  in  unbelief.  In  computing  the  three  days 
and  an  half,  the  2160  years  should  be  considered  one 
great  year.  The  three  days  and  an  half  are  21  years 
of  360  days  each  from  1898,  or  20  years  and  8  months, 
if  365  days  be  a  year.  During  that  time  the  wit- 
nesses are  held  in  scorn  and  contempt;  hence  the 
symbol  of  their  lying  unburied. 

88 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

"10  And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall 
rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send 
gifts  one  to  another;  because  these  two  prophets 
tormented  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth."  The 
verse  is  not  an  overdrawn  picture  of  multitudes 
to-day,  eaters  and  drinkers  and  careless  merry- 
makers even  as  in  the  days  of  Noe.  This  despite  of 
the  seriousness  which  universal  war  forces  upon 
others.  The  warning  prophecies  of  dire  calamity 
which  the  unworthy  were  compelled  to  hear,  are  now 
in  their  overdue  or  travail  period;  hence  they  seem 
proven  false  and  fit  only  for  jest  and  laughter. 

"11  And  after  three  days  and  an  half  the  Spirit 
of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood 
upon  their  feet;  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which 
saw  them."  The  travail  period  of  20^  years  ended, 
the  prophets  live  again  to  fulfill  their  predictions; 
they  stand  upon  their  feet  ready  for  the  crowding 
events  foretold,  wherefore  a  revulsion  of  mood,  a  great 
fear,  falls  upon  the  unworthy. 

"12  And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven  say- 
ing unto  them.  Come  up  hither.  And  they  ascended 
up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud;  and  their  enemies  beheld 
them." 

The  loud  command  from  heaven:  "Come  up 
hither"  signifies  supreme  confirmation  of  their 
authority.  Their  ascent  in  a  cloud  before  their 
enemies  is  their  majestic  approach  to  those  seats  of 
judgment  where,  as  regents  of  the  Divine,  they  now 
must  officiate  for  a  season. 

"13  And  the  same  hour  there  was  a  great  earth- 
quake, and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the 
earthquake  was  slain  of  men  seven  thousand:  and 


89 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  remnant  were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the 
God  of  heaven."  It  would  be  misleading  to  give  to 
the  opening  sentence  of  the  verse  only  a  symbolical 
meaning.  That  cataclysms  occur  at  the  termination 
of  certain  cycles,  and  that  man  himself  is  a  potent 
factor  among  the  causes  of  their  bringing  about, 
was  well  known  to  the  Initiates  in  whose  school 
John  always  gives  evidence  of  having  been  a  deep 
student. 

The  number  proper  to  man  is  9,  whereas  to  woman, 
because  of  her  capacity  for  motherhood,  was  given 
the  number  10.  The  woman  who  avoids  motherhood, 
in  its  material  or  else  its  spiritual  form,  is  deemed 
sterile  and  loses  one-tenth  of  her  true  number. 
Because  from  her  womb  the  earth  brings  forth  her 
yield,  the  number  10  is  proper  to  her.  The  barren 
fig-tree  which  Jesus  cursed,  typified  the  unfruitful  parts 
of  earth  in  the  judgment  coming  at  the  end  of  the 
age.  The  wise  ancients  knew  the  earth  to  be  a  sphere, 
and  its  great  circle  of  360  degrees  they  divided  into 
ten  equal  parts.  The  words:  "the  tenth  part  of  the 
city  fell"  mean  the  tenth  part  of  the  world  as  gen- 
erally known  in  John's  time,  or  it  may  signify  one- 
tenth  of  the  globe's  surface.  In  either  case  the  one- 
tenth  becomes  a  barren  waste. 

This  unproductive  part  may  consist  of  desert  land, 
but  more  likely  of  desert  water.  In  this  latter  case 
the  rising  of  a  continent — or  the  nucleus  thereof, — 
and  the  submergence  of  certain  sections  of  the  conti- 
nental areas,  will  no  doubt  result.  However,  the 
earthquake  possibly  may  signify  the  destruction  of 
temporal  kingdoms  and  powers. 

By  the  words:  "and  in  the  earthquake  was  slain  of 

90 


THE   REVELATION  OF   JOHN 

men  seven  thousand"  the  Initiate  seer  shows  knowl- 
edge concerning  the  seven  divisions  of  the  human 
race.  In  this  separation  of  the  sheep  from  the  goats, 
the  doomed  lowest  of  the  seven  divisions  would  not 
necessarily  comprise  the  world's  ignorant  peoples. 
Far  more  likely  is  it  that  in  the  earthquake  will  be 
caught  the  sinners  against  the  full  light  which  a  high 
civilization  supposedly  gives.  In  a  time  of  wide  judg- 
ment those  of  kindred  natures  gravitate  each  to  each, 
so  that  the  destruction  of  the  seven  thousand,  who 
here  signify  conditions  rather  than  numbers,  would 
not  greatly  involve  the  comparatively  good .  Those  of 
this  intermediate  class  are  the  remnant  so-called, 
who,  through  fear  rather  than  repentance,  give  glory 
to  the  God  of  heaven. 

"14  The  second  woe  is  past;  and  behold,  the 
third  woe  cometh  quickly."  Since  it  is  not  the  Reve- 
lator's  purpose  here  to  discover  the  nature  of  the 
second  woe,  let  us  proceed  directly  to  the  next  verse, 
where  is  resumed  the  narrative  broken  off  with 
chapter  9:21. 

"15  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded;  and  there 
were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying.  The  kingdoms 
of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord, 
and  of  hi&  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 
7  is  the  exoteric  number  denoting  fulness,  and 
interiorly  it  is  connected  with  10,  the  real  number  of 
completeness.  As  man  is  born  into  completeness  after 
three  lunar  months  of  incipient  life,  and  six  months 
of  increasing  growth,  so,  according  to  the  Secret 
Science,  while  the  world  was  created  in  six  ages  and 
then  reached  completeness,  these  stages  were  pre- 
ceded by  three  of  secret  preparation  unmentioned  in 


91 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Genesis.  These  secret  ages  correspond  with  Uranus 
and  Neptune  and  a  planet  beyond. 

Beginning  with  the  year  1898,  or  thereabouts,  three 
trumpets,  corresponding  with  the  influence  of  those 
planets,  had  sounded  in  secret,  and  their  voices  and 
effects  had  been  apparent  in  the  super-physical  world 
before  the  first  trumpet  of  Revelation,  and  what  is 
true  of  the  trumpets  applies  to  the  seals.  Because  of 
the  ten  seals  and  the  ten  trumpets,  and  the  outcome 
as  foreseen  on  high,  the  great  voices  in  heaven  utter 
the  triumphant  words:  "The  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ;  and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 

"16  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat 
before  God  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces." 
The  twelve  Zodiacal  powers  are  all  bi-sexual.  Each 
includes  that  which,  in  the  human  race  and  all  lower 
creatures,  becomes  male  and  female.  The  word 
bi-sexual  here  indicates  a  condition  far  above  sex  as 
generally  understood.  The  words:  "which  sat  before 
God  on  their  seats,"  hints  at  the  mystery  of  the 
Supreme  Throne,  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High, 
the  Spiritual  Sun  invisible  to  mortal  eyes,  and  in 
fact  the  Divine  Center  of  the  Zodiacal  Ring  before 
which  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  humble  themselves. 

"17  Saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come; 
because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and 
hast  reigned."  Although  the  Zodiacal  circle  is  in 
time,  and  its  time  is  the  standard  of  measurements 
adopted  by  the  prophets  and  seers  of  old,  the  center 
of  the  circle  is  in  Eternity  indicated  by  the  words: 
"which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come."  The  Center 


92 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

is  the  real  source  from  which,  through  its  Zodiacal 
representatives,  eternal  Law  and  Justice  are  adminis- 
tered to  the  world,  as  notably  now  at  the  end  of  the 
age;  therefore:  "thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great 
power  and  hast  reigned." 

"18  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath 
is  come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be 
judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy 
servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and  them 
that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great;  and  shouldest 
destroy  them  which  destroy  the  earth."  The  words 
"And  the  nations  were  angry,"  refer  to  matters  found 
in  the  next  chapter.  Commentators  easily  discover 
in  Revelation  a  lack  of  sequence,  and  a  disregard  of 
chronological  order.  Nevertheless  there  is  always  a 
method  beneath  this  outward  confusion.  It  would 
seem  that  the  twenty-two  chapters  were  given  to 
John  at  intervals,  and  in  visions  whose  contents 
sometimes  overlap  what  is  to  follow.  At  other  times 
events  are  repeated,  for  instance,  the  sixth  verse  of 
chapter  twelve  is  almost  duplicated  in  the  fourteenth 
verse.  Such  duplications  often  contain  information 
not  incorporated  in  the  first  account. 

"And  thy  wrath  is  come."  Wrath,  as  generally 
understood,  has  no  place  in  the  Divine  Nature. 
Matured  Judgment  is  here  meant.  Concerning  that 
Judgment,  there  is  a  mystery  long  known  to  the  few. 
Judgment  was  due  at  the  beginning  of  the  great  cycle 
of  Pisces- Virgo,  but  because  Messiah  became  sponsor 
for  the  human  race,  that  judgment  was  deferred  dur- 
ing the  entire  cycle,  and  no  longer.  This  sponsorship 
is  the  base  on  which  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement 
was  reared.     Now  sponsorship  and  atonement  are  not 


93 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

the  same.  Messiah  was  the  burden-bearer,  human- 
ity's strong  elder  brother  who  assumed  the  world's 
crushing  load  until,  at  the  end  of  another  cycle  and 
through  a  slow  but  sure  attainment,  it  would  prove 
itself  worthy.  Since  both  worth  and  unworth  have 
resulted,  judgment  upon  forty- two  hundred  years  of 
accumulating  evil  is  at  hand. 

Gross  misunderstanding  of  the  words:  "and  the 
time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,"  and 
other  texts  of  like  import,  have  given  rise  to  the 
absurd  doctrine  that  the  dead  sleep  until  the  Last 
Judgment.  The  dead  here  designated  are  the 
unawakened,  the  dead  in  trespasses  and  sin.  "And 
that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the 
prophets,  and  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy 
name,  small  and  great;  and  shouldest  destroy  them 
which  destroy  the  earth,"  means  that  the  sowers  of 
good  seed,  each  according  to  his  ability  and  worth, 
shall  now  reap  the  long-delayed  harvest,  and  that 
those  who  with  tares  destroyed  the  good  sowing, 
shall  be  cut  down  and  cast  out. 

"19  And  the  temple  of  God  was  open  in  heaven, 
and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testa- 
ment: and  there  were  lightnings,  and  voices,  and 
thunderings,  and  an  earthquake,  and  great  hail." 
The  open  temple  of  God  signifies  Divine  Truth,  and 
the  ark  of  his  testament  signifies  the  light  of  that 
truth  on  the  revealed  law  which  Jesus  summarized 
in  two  commandments  applicable  to  all  men  regard- 
less of  creed  or  caste.  "And  there  were  lightnings, 
and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an  earthquake." 
This  is  the  third  woe,  the  one  closing  the  trumpet  series, 
which  now  is  to  be  separated  from  the  vial  series. 


94 


Chapter  XII 

THE  twelfth  chapter  of  Revelation  has  been  a 
stumbling  block  both  to  theologians  and  to 
Bible  students.  This  their  attempted  inter- 
pretations amply  show.  Sectarian  bias,  and  precon- 
ceived theories  touching  the  ways  of  God  toward  man, 
have  blinded  most  of  these  expounders  of  this  great 
and  pregnant  chapter,  so  they  looked  not  above 
creedal  limits;  much  less  did  they  look  beyond  this 
little  world  to  others  which,  as  instruments  of  the 
Divine  Plan,  have  a  regulative  purpose  towards 
humanity  as  a  whole ;  a  purpose  whose  accomplish- 
ment is  Justice  fulfilled,  especially  at  those  seasons 
when  the  means  to  that  necessary  end  are  most  avail- 
able. 

Let  us  now  examine  this  chapter,  taken  from  the 
deepest  Mystery  Teachings,  and,  verse  by  verse, 
throw  upon  it  the  light  at  present  permissible. 

"And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven; 
a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under 
her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars." 
Dismissing  as  inadequate,  and  even  false,  the  notion 
that  the  woman  signifies  the  Jewish  Christians,  or 
the  mother  of  the  Babylonian  sun-god  Marduk,  or 
that  of  Grecian  Apollo,  or  of  Egyptian  Osiris;  or  that 
she  is  the  New  Church  of  Swedenborg,  or  Divine 
Science  as  revealed  by  Mrs.  Eddy,  let  us  say  that  the 
Mystery  Teaching  shows  her  to  be  Aquarius  when 
the  sun  in  apparent  backward  motion  reaches  that 
constellation.      Clothed   with   the   sun,   the  woman 


95 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

then  assumes  the  office  of  the  Zodiac;  wherefore  she 
is  crowned  with  twelve  stars.  Since  Aquarius,  or 
any  other  sign,  influences  man  primarily  through  the 
Sun,  and  secondarily  through  the  Moon,  the  latter  is 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  woman.  Moreover,  the  Sun 
above  and  the  Moon  below  are  mystically  related  to 
the  Word  about  to  be  made  manifest. 

"2  And  she  being  with  child  cried,  travailing  in 
birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered."  While  this  verse 
is  chiefly  an  introduction  to  the  events  described  in 
verse  five,  it  also  indicates  the  travail  years  extending 
beyond  the  ideal  time  of  delivery,  even  as  five  days 
prolong  the  ideal  solar  year  of  360  days. 

"3  And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in 
heaven;  and  behold  a  great  red  dragon,  having  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his 
heads."  The  dragon  is  neither  the  constellation  of 
that  name,  nor  is  it  Rome;  therefore  the  mistake  of 
those  who  would  find  in  the  chapter  a  meaning  wholly 
astrological,  and  of  those  who  find  a  meaning  quite 
external.  The  method  of  "John"  the  Initiate  was  to 
veil  in  the  likeness  of  other  things  the  real  matter, 
that  so  it  might  be  preserved  until  the  time  when 
momentous  events  would  prepare  the  world  for  the 
truth  thus  skillfully  hidden. 

The  red  dragon  is  a  real  being,  the  leader  of  the 
hosts  of  darkness,  the  head  of  what  is  known  as  the 
Black  Lodge.  His  seven  heads  and  their  seven  crowns 
indicate  that  he  draws  to  his  cause  the  entire  evil  of 
every  planet,  including  the  earth;  while  the  ten  horns 
indicate  the  fulness  of  evil  found  at  the  pole  opposite 
that  summit  of  perfection  which  in  the  Solar  Logos, 
is  indicated  by  the  number  10. 


96 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"4  And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars 
of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth:  and  the 
dragon  stood  before  the  woman  which  was  ready  to 
be  dehvered,  for  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it  was 
born."  This  verse,  together  with  the  first,  has  misled 
many  to  suppose  that  in  part  the  chapter  is  an  inter- 
polation of  certain  so-called  heathen  myths,  but  we 
do  not  so  read.  The  reference  is  to  the  war  of  the  ages 
which  begins  in  super-physical  realms  and  later  is 
transferred  to  the  material  world  as  the  prophesied 
rising  of  nation  against  nation.     See  chapter  9:  15. 

The  tail  of  the  dragon  is  the  evil  persuasion  by 
which  he  draws  to  his  earthly  cause  the  evil  hosts  of 
Mars  and  Saturn,  and  the  other  planets  from  the 
moon  to  Jupiter  inclusive.  The  evil  drawn  from  those 
higher  planets  Venus,  Mercury,  and  Jupiter,  is  small 
in  bulk,  but  more  and  more  concentrative  in  quality. 
Knowledge  of  all  this  fact  is  necessary  to  the  under- 
standing of  the  seven  heads  and  seven  crowns  men- 
tioned in  verse  three. 

As  regards  the  child  about  to  be  born,  the  dragon's 
purpose  was  not  to  devour,  for  that  is  but  a  symbol. 
Rather  it  was  to  deprive  him  of  his  power  by  divert- 
ing the  force  of  Aquarius,  and  so  leaving  him  empty 
of  his  message  and  purpose. 

"5  And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child  who  would 
rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  and  her  child  was 
caught  up  to  God,  and  to  his  throne."  Christian 
commentators  generally  agree  that  the  child  is  Christ ; 
but  why  he  should  be  caught  up  to  God  and  to  his 
throne  has  greatly  mystified  them.  We  teach  that  the 
man-child  is  the  Aquarian  Avatar  to  be,  and,  through 
that  execution  of  Divine  Justice  which  precedes  his 


97 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

coming,  Messiah  in  a  way  already  is  ruling  the  nations 
with  a  rod  of  iron.  Are  not  old  scores  being  settled? 
Are  not  the  people  being  tried  as  by  fire?  Shall  not 
all  who  worship  the  dragon  be  dashed  in  pieces  like  a 
potter's  vessel?  Before  the  very  eyes  of  men  are  not 
the  sheep  being  separated  from  the  goats  in  a  universal 
judgment?  As  for  the  child,  in  this  time  of  his  danger 
is  he  not  under  the  special  protection  of  the  Solar 
Powers  and  their  throne  of  God,  the  highest  of  which 
man  can  have  knowledge? 

"6  And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness, 
where  she  hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they 
should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 
threescore  days."  Conforming  to  a  custom  long 
approved  by  the  wise,  the  Initiate  author  here  con- 
ceals the  real  figures  while  seeming  to  reveal  them. 
The  1260  days  are  equivalent  to  the  2160  years  of 
chapter  11:  3;  but  whereas  the  first  2160  years  are 
now  time  fulfilled,  the  like  years  of  chapter  12  date 
from  about  1898  A.  D.,  and  terminate  at  the  end  of 
the  millennial  period.  The  wilderness  prepared  by 
God  for  the  woman  is  the  comparatively  empty  space 
between  Aquarius  and  Capricornus.  The  feeding  of 
the  woman  signifies  that  her  power  over  the  earth 
shall  continue  during  her  entire  period. 

"7  And  there  was  war  in  heaven:  Michael  and 
his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon;  and  the  dragon 
fought  and  his  angels."  The  great  war  was  hinted 
at  in  the  comment  on  verse  4.  Christian  commen- 
tators have  been  puzzled  because  the  archangel 
Michael,  and  not  Christ  himself,  should  lead  the 
heavenly  hosts.  Now  Michael  here  represents  the 
Sun,  the  solar  Logos,  the  great  channel  through  which 


98 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

the  Aquarian  forces  are  brought  down  to  this  planet 
and  to  others  in  their  turn;  therefore  the  angels  of 
light  acknowledged  Michael  as  their  head. 

"8  And  prevailed  not;  neither  was  their  place 
found  any  more  in  heaven."  In  a  cause  whereof 
Michael  is  the  solar  head,  and  in  which  the  Zodiacal 
hosts  are  by  no  means  remotely  interested,  the  out- 
come cannot  be  doubted  if  one  understand  the  nature 
of  the  forces  pledged  to  maintain  the  right. 

"9  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old 
serpent  called  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceive th 
the  whole  world:  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and 
his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him."  The  verse  makes 
plain  that  the  dragon,  otherwise  the  serpent  or  the 
Devil,  is  not  an  astrological  symbol,  or  the  incorporeal 
power  of  evil,  but  in  fact  embodied  wickedness.  If 
there  be  angels  and  archangels,  the  law  of  opposites 
requires  that  there  also  be  fiends  and  archfiends. 
Casting  out  into  the  earth  means  not  total  defeat, 
but  great  humbling  and  a  resulting  painful  condition 
of  the  Satanic  hosts. 

"10  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven, 
Now  is  come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  King- 
dom of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ:  for  the 
accuser  of  bur  brethren  is  cast  down,  which  accused 
them  before  our  God  day  and  night."  The  verse  con- 
tains a  statement  not  to  be  understood  in  any  age 
of  the  world  prior  to  the  present  one.  No  imperial 
tyrant  of  pagan  Rome  would  accuse  the  righteous 
before  their  God  in  whom  he  believed  not;  neither 
would  Satan,  that  beguiler  of  men,  accuse  them 
directly. 

The  mouthpiece  of  the  accuser  is  a  king  born  at 


99 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  beginning  of  the  Aquarian  Age.  Because  the 
dupe  and  the  servant  of  the  Evil  One,  not  only  will 
he  proclaim  his  own  cause  justified  in  the  sight  of 
heaven,  but  also  he  will  denounce  before  God  all  who 
in  the  cause  of  humanity  adhere  to  the  right. 

The  voice  of  thanksgiving  heard  in  heaven  is  for 
victory  which  there  is  seen  as  accomplished,  whereas 
that  victory  has  not  yet  been  won  on  the  earth. 
This  because  on  the  physical  plane  events  are  in  time 
as  there  measured,  while  on  the  highest  heavenly 
planes  they  are  in  Eternity. 

"11  And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony;  and  they 
loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death."  The  word 
"they"  in  the  first  line  makes  evident  that  the  war 
in  heaven  had  extended  to  the  human  race;  while 
the  words  "overcame  him"  mean  that,  strictly,  the 
righteous  overcame  not  Satan,  but  in  fact  his 
adherents  among  men.  The  expression,  "blood  of 
the  Lamb,"  is  much  misleading  to  those  employing 
ordinary  methods  of  interpretation.  The  author, 
known  to  the  world  as  John,  was  a  Christian  mystic 
and  seer  of  the  type  of  Swedenborg,  but  one  of  much 
higher  rank,  and  withal  a  revelator  having  access  to 
certain  secret  knowledge  of  which  Swedenborg's 
writings  show  no  trace  as  is  made  plain  by  his  idea 
that  the  days  given  in  the  sixth  verse  make  three 
and  one-half  years. 

According  to  Swedenborg,  "the  blood  of  the  Lamb," 
is'  Divine  Truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord's  Divine 
Humanity^  Now  we  teach  that  while  the  life  of  the 
physical  body  of  Jesus  was  the  red  blood,  the  blood 
meant  by  John  was  the  principle  of  Spiritual  Will; 


100 


THE   REVELATION  OF  J  Oh  NT 


that  life  principle  which  sustained  the  Master  through 
every  trial  and  temptation  from  Jordan  to  Calvary; 
in  fact  the  blood  was  that  principle  which,  because 
severely  tested  in  the  garden,  manifested  outwardly 
as  the  bloody  sweat.  Emulating  the  Spiritual  Will 
of  Jesus,  the  followers  of  the  Lamb  found  in  it  the 
means  essential  to  the  overcoming  mentioned. 

By  that  other  factor:  "the  word  of  their  testi- 
mony;" is  meant  a  bold  and  clear  assertion  of  right 
principles.  The  Revelator  is  dealing  with  actual 
warfare  on  the  physical  plane  where  the  right  word 
stimulates  the  sword  arm.  "And  they  loved  not 
their  lives  unto  the  death"  certainly  refers  to  the 
martyrs;  but  is  it  not  evident  that  in  the  world  war 
men  and  women  are  being  martyred  even  as  in  the 
times  of  Nero  and  Diocletian? 

"12  Therefore  rejoice  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that 
dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
and  of  the  sea:  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you, 
having  great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath 
but  a  short  time."  While  in  heavenly  places  there  is 
rejoicing  that  the  warrior  brothers  among  men  faint 
not,  the  earthly  conflict  grows  ever  fiercer  for,  seeing 
his  end  in  sight,  the  devil  has  instilled  his  venom  into 
the  hearts  of  the  enemy. 

"13  And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast 
unto  the  earth,  he  persecuted  the  woman  which 
brought  forth  the  man-child."  Here,  as  elsewhere 
in  Revelation,  the  word  dragon  signifies  one  per- 
fected in  the  use  of  infernal  arts.  The  persecution  of 
the  woman  who  represents  Aquarius,  consists  of  the 
dragon's  attempt,  through  these  arts,  to  divert  the 
liberated  Zodiacal  force  manifesting  through  Aquarius, 


101 


c/  ;  y\  {    '  <:  :   THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

and  thus  to  render  impotent  its  effort  to  benefit  the 
world. 

"14  And  the  woman  was  given  two  wings  of  a 
great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness, 
into  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time,  and 
times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent.** 
See  Dan.  12:7. 

The  metaphor  of  the  eagle's  wings  half  reveals  the 
nature  of  the  woman  who,  as  Aquarius,  floats  in  the 
sky,  or  seems  so  to  do,  in  the  diurnal  cycle  of  the 
earth,  and  in  its  yearly  cycle,  and  also  in  the  Zodiacal 
cycle.  By  many  commentators  the  remainder  of  the 
verse  is  rightly  identified  with  the  sixth  verse.  This 
to  them  means  redundancy  and  lack  of  sequence;  in 
fact  careless  arrangement,  but  with  the  aid  of  the 
Arabic  numerals  we  shall  show  to  the  contrary. 

The  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  are  2160  years 
whose  reduced  number  is  9.  48  is  the  half  a  time,  and 
96  is  the  time.  Together  they  are  144  years  whose 
reduced  number  is  9.  The  remaining  2016  years  are 
21  times.  The  total  is  22^  times.  According  to 
ancient  methods,  this  total  indicates  some  important 
happening  22>^  years  after  1898.  Prophecies  hidden 
in  such  a  way  were  meant  to  reveal  only  approximate 
dates. 

In  this  connection  let  it  be  said  that  9  is  the  num- 
ber peculiar  to  initiation,  the  one  which  meant  much 
to  Plato,  also  the  one  which  Apollonius  said  must  be 
passed  over  in  silence,  for  it  was  the  key  to  the  great 
secrets  of  initiation,  and  of  the  powers  which  fructify 
the  earth. 

9  is  the  number  sacred  to  the  solar  influence  con- 
trolling the  human   uterus  which  itself  corresponds 


102 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

with  the  universal  matrix.  Therefore  as  man  is  born 
after  nine  solar  months,  or  ten  lunar  months,  so  world 
events  are  brought  forth  soon  after  nine  solar  days, 
weeks,  months,  or  years,  or  soon  after  any  solar  period 
divisible  by  9.  This  number  is  a  favorite  with  John, 
but  his  enigmatic  figures  usually  conceal  it  as  if  in  a 
womb. 

"15  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth 
water  as  a  flood  after  the  woman,  that  he  might 
cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood."  The 
symbology  of  this  verse  has  led  commentators  to 
suppose  it  a  free  transcription  of  certain  solar  myths, 
for  instance:  that  of  Apollo  whose  mother  escaped 
from  the  Python.  Because  an  Initiate,  John  well 
knew  that  the  key  to  all  mysteries  is  hid  in  the  Zodiac, 
but  that  his  symbology  is  not  always  astrological  our 
interpretation  would  show. 

We  do  not  find  that  the  "water  as  a  flood"  neces- 
sarily indicates  a  cataclysm  upon  the  physical  earth. 
We  shall  here  call  it  a  mighty  and  perhaps  vast  effort 
of  the  dark  hosts,  and  their  representatives  among 
men,  to  achieve  complete  victory  against  the  work 
which  the  woman  was  missioned  to  accomplish ;  they 
would  sweep  away  every'  vestige  of  it. 

"16  And  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  and  the 
earth  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  up  the  flood 
which  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth."  Continu- 
ing the  metaphor  of  the  flood,  the  writer  here  reveals 
the  defeat  of  the  woman's  human  enemies,  and  their 
wholesale  slaughter,  wherefore  their  power  is  buried 
with  them. 

"17  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman 

Kt  to  make  war  upon  the  remnant  of  her  seed, 
103 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

which  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  have  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  Christ."  From  this  it  appears 
that  the  new  Golden  Age  of  the  second  Eden  comes 
not  in  the  immediate  wake  of  this  victory.  Though 
vanquished  in  heaven,  the  dragon  is  for  a  season 
unchained  in  respect  to  the  earth.  Therefore  must 
the  righteous  resist  even  as  before.  Spiritual  growth 
like  physical  growth  is  gradual.  The  Millennium  has 
a  slow  dawning,  but  its  first  faint  glow  is  touching 
the  remote  East. 


104 


i 


Chapter  XIII 

AND  I  stood  upon  the  sands  of  the  sea,  and  saw 
a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having  seven 
heads,  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten 
crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name  of  blasphemy." 
See  Dan.  7:3.  The  beast  is  Worldliness,  and  he  rises 
from  the  mobile  sea  of  human  passions;  a  sea  often 
troubled  by  the  storm  of  capricious  desire.  Again, 
the  beast  has  no  defined  birthplace,  hence  the  path- 
less, indefinite  sea.  The  seven  heads  are  those  crown- 
ing sins  wherein  all  others  have  origin :  Luxury,  Wrath, 
Idleness,  Envy,  Avarice,  Gluttony,  and  Pride. 

The  ten  horns  are  ten  evil  powers.  10  is  the  full 
number  of  heavenly  perfections  and  so  of  their  antith- 
esis the  totality  of  hellish  evils.  In  this  connection 
blasphemy  signifies  the  assumption  of  righteousness; 
it  is  hypocrisy  in  its  most  blatant  expression. 

"2  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a 
leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his 
mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion:  and  the  dragon  gave 
him  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority."  See 
Dan.  7:6.  This  nondescript  creature  is  a  pseudo- 
lion,  a  counterfeit  of  the  king  of  beasts,  and  also  of 
Leo  the  heavenly  lion.  The  words  of  his  mouth  are 
high-sounding,  but  empty  of  wisdom.  Power,  and 
place  and  authority,  in  fact  every  opportunity  for 
evil  is  given  to  him  by  the  dragon.  Of  such  com- 
posite creatures,  Swedenborg  says  that  they  derive 
their  existence  and  shape  from  the  lusts  of  the  spirits 
of  hell. 

"3  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded 


105 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

to  death;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed:  and  all 
the  world  wondered  after  the  beast."  The  wounded 
head  is  the  one  named  Pride.  Jesus  the  greatest  of 
earthly  kings  came  in  humble  garb,  and  not  to  be 
ministered  unto,  but  to  minister.  His  true  humility, 
the  chief  insignia  of  his  greatness,  caused  a  powerful 
reaction  among  the  early  Christians.  Because  of 
his  illustrious  example,  pomp  and  pride,  even  in 
high  places,  seem  doomed  to  extinction;  but,  after- 
ward, even  in  the  church  itself,  pride  of  place  and  all 
its  attendant  evils  gradually  obtained,  and  so  in 
respect  to  that  wound  the  beast  was  made  whole. 
No  wonder  the  world  said:  "After  such  failure  who 
can  conquer  pride?" 

"4  And  they  worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave 
power  unto  the  beast:  and  they  worshipped  the 
beast,  saying.  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast?  who  is  able 
to  make  war  with  him?"  So  in  its  unchanged  con- 
dition the  great  world  goes  its  usual  way,  even  as  did 
decadent  Rome  and  voluptuous  Corinth  in  the  long 
ago;  yes,  even  as  before  the  lowly  Nazarene  had 
spoken,  the  world  falls  down  before  the  dragon  and 
the  beast  who  reigns  in  his  likeness. 

"5  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth 
speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies;  and  power 
was  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two 
months."  The  mouth  is  that  of  the  pesudo-lion,  and 
the  great  things  are  its  hollow  wisdom,  and  the 
blasphemies  its  assumption  of  truth.  In  the  forty 
and  two  months  is  hidden  the  secret  of  the  nature  of 
the  beast,  a  secret  veiled  so  skillfully  that  would-be 
interpreters  have  been  led  far  astray,  or  else  the 
meaningless  months  have  caused   them   to  discard 


106 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

this  chapter  as  a  hopeless  puzzle.  This  notwithstand- 
ing the  assurance  of  chapter  22:  19,  that  the  matter 
and  arrangement  of  Revelation  entire  is  as  it  should 
be. 

The  forty  and  two  months  are  indeed  1260  days, 
but,  as  previously  shown,  the  first  two  digits  should  be 
reversed  to  reveal  the  secret  of  the  2160  days  which 
evidently  are  years.  Thus  the  beast  will  continue 
through  one  Zodiacal  sign;  in  other  words,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  reign  of  Pisces-Virgo  until  that  of 
Aquarius-Leo.  Of  a  truth  the  beast,  here  named 
Worldliness,  has  lived  in  every  age  and  therefore 
under  all  Zodiacal  signs,  but  its  expression  changes 
with  each  sign.  Under  the  present  signs,  the  pseudo- 
lion  must  meet  the  heavenly  lion,  and,  as  the  Reve- 
lator  elsewhere  intimates,  to  the  utter  humiliation  of 
the  former. 

"6  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy 
against  God,  to  blaspheme  his  name,  and  his  taber- 
nacle, and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven."  He  sets  his 
opinion  against  what  right  judgment  has  declared  to 
be  heavenly  things.  His  life  gives  the  lie  to  humility, 
mercy,  meekness,  peacefulness,  and  the  like,  the  ideal 
and  practice  of  those  in  heaven. 

"7  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with 
the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them:  and  power  was 
given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations.'* 
By  the  words  to  "overcome  them,"  the  Revelator 
means  the  beast's  power  to  swerve  them  from  the 
paths  of  right.  Pride  is  the  most  subtle  of  vices. 
Even  the  saint  may  be  proud  of  his  humility,  and 
thus  find  himself  in  the  drag-net  which  he  had  escaped 
were  it  labeled:  luxury,  wrath,  or  any  of  the  obvious 


107 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

sins.  As  for  the  world  at  large,  history  all  too 
often  shows  the  power  of  the  beast's  pride  over  the 
majority  of  the  human  family. 

"8  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  wor- 
ship him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book 
of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  The  multitudes  here  mentioned  are  those  to 
whom  the  beatitudes  do  not  apply;  they  are  guilty 
of  some,  or  even  of  all  of  the  great  sins.  Those  whoes 
names  are  written  in  the  book  of  life  are  the  144,000 
mentioned  in  the  next  chapter. 

"The  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world"  requires  some  little  elucidation.  Sacrifice  is 
one  of  the  greatest  means  whereby  God-Wisdom 
will  bring  about  finally  that  divine  event  the  unifica- 
tion of  mankind.  As  originally  instituted — not  by 
priest-craft,  but  by  Divine  revelation  and  command — 
sacrifice  was  wholly  substitutional.  Things  not 
lightly  valued,  but  rather  of  undoubted  worth,  for 
instance,  the  firstlings  of  the  flock,  were  offered  at 
stated  times  upon  the  altar.  This  act  of  devotion 
and  generosity  was  one  whereby  the  links  binding 
man  to  God  were  kept  ever  in  mind. 

In  due  season,  the  most  advanced  peoples  being 
ready — or  rather  the  most  spiritual  individuals  among 
them — the  Master  appeared  who  would  reveal  by 
his  life,  and  if  need  be  by  his  death,  that  true  sacrifice 
is  wholly  personal;  that  any  other  is  but  for  a  lesson 
to  the  beginner  in  the  school  of  life.  Sacrifice,  the 
giving  of  what  we  prize  to  aid  others,  creates  between 
giver  and  receiver  a  bond  of  sympathy  destined  to 
grow  till  it  girdles  the  globe  and  branches  to  its  every 
nook  and  corner. 


108 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Concerning  those  who  yet  cling  to  the  idea  of 
substitutional  sacrifice  in  any  form,  it  must  be  said 
that,  despite  their  understanding  of  other  matters, 
they  are,  in  respect  to  sacrifice,  only  in  the  period  of 
immaturity.  If  our  reasoning  have  any  force  it  is  to 
the  effect  that  the  necessity  and  outcome  of  that 
personal  sacrifice,  of  which  to  John  the  Lamb  was 
the  symbol,  existed  in  the  mind  of  God  before  the 
world  was. 

'*9  If  any  man  have  an  ear  let  him  hear."  That 
is  to  say  he  should  ponder  not  only  the  contents  of 
verse  8,  but  also  of  verse  10,  and  so  discover  their 
relation.  "10  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall 
go  into  captivity:  he  that  killeth  with  the  sword 
must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is  the  patience 
and  the  faith  of  the  saints."  This  is  a  statement  of 
the  doctrine  of  eternal  Justice,  that  rigid  Justice 
which  rules  the  world.  It  is  a  statement  of  the 
doctrine  that  whatsoever  a  man  soweth  that  shall 
he  also  reap.  Because  this  doctrine  is  held  by 
the  God-enlightened,  the  saints  have  patience  and 
faith. 

**11  And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of 
the  earth:  and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he 
spake  as  a  dragon."  The  world-beast  of  verse  1  was 
a  sea-born  pseudo-lion,  a  nondescript  creature.  Now 
behold  the  pseudo-lamb  earth-born  and  of  the  dust, 
and  having  a  local  habitation.  He  may  be  a  nation 
outwardly  a  cultivated  people,  a  lamb  supposedly 
peaceful,  but  thinking  and  speaking  otherwise,  and 
from  whom  shall  arise  Antichrist  concerning  whose 
nature  and  time  of  appearing  learned  theologians 
have  argued  and  speculated,  and  against  whom,  in 


109 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  guise  of  those  who  differed  from  them,  bigots 
have  hurled  their  execrations. 

The  kingdom  of  Antichrist  is  either  a  corrupt 
religious  system,  or,  more  likely,  a  military  nation 
devoid  of  conscience,  in  fact  an  iconoclastic  people 
bent  on  world  conquest,  and  using  the  words  of  the 
Master:  "I  came  not  to  bring  peace  but  a  sword." 
Amidst  their  most  atrocious  deeds  they  will  declare 
themselves  the  manifest  right  arm  of  God. 

"12  And  he  exercise th  all  the  power  of  the  first 
beast  before  him,  and  cause  th  the  earth  and  them 
which  dwell  therein  to  worship  the  first  beast,  whose 
deadly  wound  was  healed."  The  pseudo-lamb — the 
nation — is  the  epitome  of  Worldliness.  Here  the 
earth  is  not  necessarily  the  whole  world,  but  no 
doubt  it  comprises  entire  peoples  corrupted  by  the 
example  and  methods  of  the  pseudo-lamb  until  they 
worship  the  beast  his  prototype  who  represents 
pomp  and  pride  and  who,  like  himself,  strives  for  that 
universal  dominion  which  belongs  to   Christ  alone. 

"13  And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he 
maketh  fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in 
the  sight  of  men."  This  calling  down  of  fire  is  a 
reminder  of  the  incident  recorded  in  II  Kings, 
chapter  1:  10:  "And  Elijah  answered  and  said  to  the 
captain  of  fifty:  If  I  be  a  man  of  God,  let  fire  come 
down  from  heaven,  and  consume  thee  and  thy  fifty. 
And  there  came  down  fire  from  heaven  and  con- 
sumed him  and  his  fifty."  Also  the  Revelator  brings 
to  mind  the  rebuke  administered  by  Jesus  when 
James  and  John  said  to  him:  "Lord  wilt  thou  that 
we  command  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven,  and 
consume  them,  even  as  Elijah  did?" 


110 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

Fear  of  the  king  whom  he  had  displeased,  and 
wrath  against  his  emissaries,  caused  EHjah  to  forget 
mercy:  so,  as  John  the  Baptist,  he  paid  the  penalty 
with  his  head.  Does  not  this  payment  vindicate  the 
inflexible  justice  declared  in  verse  10  of  the  present 
chapter;  that  justice  which  such  as  even  Elijah  could 
not  escape? 

Concerning  the  fire  brought  down  from  heaven  by 
the  pseudo-lamb,  the  age  of  miracles  such  as  the  one 
recorded  of  Elijah  seems  gone  forever;  hence  but  two 
interpretations  can  be  given  to  the  verse.  1st:  As 
the  crowning  evil  of  many  come  to  maturity,  the  acts 
of  the  pseudo-lamb  precipitate  the  portents  indicative 
of  the  general  judgment,  and  those  portents  are 
symbolized  as  descending  fire;  or,  2nd:  The  passage 
requires  a  literal  interpretation.  If  so,  it  is  evident 
that  fire  hurled  from  airships  would  seem  a  great 
wonder  to  any  seer  of  the  olden  times. 

"14  And  deceive th  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth 
by  means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do 
in  the  sight  of  the  beast ;  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on 
the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  to  the 
beast,  which  had  the  wound  by  a  sword,  and  did 
live."  To  deceive  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth 
means  that,  aside  from  those  whom  he  persuades,  he 
deceives  others  by  his  great  show  of  power,  thus 
causing  even  his  enemies  to  fear  the  outcome.  The 
image  of  the  beast  to  be  made  by  the  dwellers  on 
earth  is  a  single  person,  one  in  authority,  in  fact 
Antichrist,  the  outward  head  and  the  tool  of  the 
nation.  This  man-image  is  that  seeming  impossi- 
bility to-day,  the  corrupt  head  of  a  corrupt  Christian 
church,  or  else  he  is  to  wield  the  sword.    If  so,  he  will 


111 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

think  himself  invulnerable  as  the  beast  whose  sword 
wound  was  healed,  for  if  the  first  beast  survived  the 
sword  of  the  spirit  which  Christ  brought,  should  not 
he,  the  image  of  that  beast,  laugh  at  the  sword  of 
man?  For  an  earlier  description  of  Antichrist  see 
Dan.  7:  8,  11;  also  8:  23  to  26;  also  11:  36  to  39. 
In  this  connection  it  should  be  said  that  many  utter- 
ances of  the  Hebrew  prophets  which  concerns  ancient 
times,  have  also  a  vital  modern  application,  while 
others  reach  down  the  centuries  even  to  the  twentieth. 
"15  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the 
image  of  the  beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast  should 
both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would  not 
worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed." 
In  the  early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  Antichrist 
was  identified  with  Nero  or  Diocletian,  those  chief 
persecutors  of  the  incipient  Church.  In  the  time  of 
Luther,  and  at  intervals  thereafter.  Antichrist  was 
the  Pope,  the  perverter  of  truth,  and  the  persecutor 
of  those  who  reverted  to  the  original  teachings  of 
the  Master.  On  the  other  hand,  intolerance  and 
persecution  were  rife  among  the  heretics  themselves, 
for  these  things  reflected  the  spirit  of  an  intolerant 
age.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the 
trend  of  events  has  revealed  to  the  discerning  that 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist  exists  not  necessarily  in  creed, 
but  more  likely  in  absolute  autocracy  based  on 
military  prowess,  and  that  its  desired  world-wide 
domination  should  radiate  from  some  political  centre, 
rather  than  from  an  ecclesiastical  one.  Our  reading 
of  verse  15  is  in  accord  with  this  conclusion.  The 
figure-head  of  the  political  system  is  the  natural 
exponent  of  its  most  extreme  views.    So  rabid  is  he 


112 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

that  death  is  meted  to  those  who  do  not  bow  down 
to  his  will. 

"16  And  he  cause th  all,  both  small  and  great, 
rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in 
their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads."  Specula- 
tion concerning  the  nature  of  this  mark  has  resulted 
in  many  curious  theories,  for  instance:  that  those 
who  observe  the  Christian  Sunday,  instead  of  the 
Jewish  Sabbath,  are  the  branded  ones.  The  name  by 
which  we  have  designated  the  beast  is  Worldliness, 
but  of  course  any  name  indicating  that  idea  would 
be  applicable.  The  mark  signifies  children  or  disciples 
of  the  beast.  This  to  distinguish  the  followers  of 
worldly  things  from  those  who  look  higher.  The 
mark  in  the  right  hand  means  performance,  while 
that  in  the  forehead  means  to  think;  hence  to  per- 
form all  or  any  of  the  seven  deadly  sins,  or  even  to 
think  them,  is  to  receive  the  mark. 

"17  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he 
that  hath  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast  or  the 
number  of  his  name."  Antichrist,  the  man-image, 
seeks  absolute  control  of  the  commerce  of  the  world 
both  for  his  people  and  for  those  in  close  affinity  with 
them,  all  of  whom  are  here  said  to  have  the  mark,  or 
the  name,  or  the  number  of  the  beast. 

"18  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  under- 
standing count  the  number  of  the  beast:  for  it  is  the 
number  of  a  man;  and  his  number  is  Six  hundred 
three  score  and  six."  As  explained,  the  beast  is  not 
the  Roman  Empire,  nor  is  he  a  Roman  tyrant,  for 
his  term  is  2160  years.  History  repeats  itself,  hence 
the  type  of  Antichrist's  kingdom  did  exist  in  the 
long  ago.      Six  hundred,  or  the  greatly  multiplied  six, 


113 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

is  the  number  of  the  beast.  He  is  the  condemned 
of  the  six  seals,  the  six  trumpets,  and  also  the  six 
vials,  for  the  verse  in  its  meaning  looks  to  the  chapters 
to  come,  as  well  as  to  those  behind.  Sixty,  or  the 
multiplied  six,  is  the  number  of  the  nation  ruled  by 
Antichrist.  Six  is  the  number  of  the  man-image,  the 
very  essence  of  the  sixty,  as  well  as  of  the  six  hundred. 
His  number  is  therefore  666.  The  kingdom  of  Anti- 
christ is  that  one-tenth  of  the  world -city  which,  at 
the  sound  of  the  sixth  trumpet,  fell  as  described 
in  chapter  11:  13.  The  third  part  of  men  killed  as 
described  in  chapter  9:  15,  are  the  children  of  the 
beast  wherever  existing  throughout  the  world.  At 
the  seventh  seal,  the  seventh  trumpet,  and  the  seventh 
vial,  the  number  666  will  be  changed  to  777  which 
means  the  fully  judged. 

In  chapters  12  and  13,  the  Revelator  has  con- 
trasted those  two  characters  of  his  drama  in  whom 
human  interest  centers.  The  first  is  the  heaven-born 
man-child,  the  lion  of  Judah;  the  one  to  rule  the 
nations  with  a  rod  of  iron;  with  prompt  and  exact 
justice;  the  second  is  Antichrist  the  man-made  image 
of  the  pseudo-lion,  in  other  words,  the  tool  of  unjust 
and  autocratic  Authority.  This  man  lifts  his  insolent 
sword  against  the  great  brand  Excalibur  that  ancient 
and  sure  defence  certain  to  rise  again  in  the  hour  of 
the  world's  direst  need. 


114 


Chapter  XIV 

AND  I  looked,  and,  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the 
Mount  Zion,  and  with  him  an  hundred  forty 
and  four  thousand,  having  his  Father's  name 
written  in  their  foreheads."  Evidently  the  Mount 
Zion  here  mentioned  is  in  no  material  situation,  nor 
are  the  twelve  times  twelve  thousand  to  be  numbered 
with  the  inhabitants  of  the  physical  world.  Chap- 
ter 1 : 4,  tells  of  the  seven  Spirits  before  the  throne, 
and  from  the  addresses  to  the  seven  churches  was 
learned  that  man  also  is  seven-fold.  To  understand 
the  location  of  the  non-material  Zion,  some  knowl- 
edge of  the  seven-fold  earth  is  necessary. 

The  solid  globe  is  a  nucleus  around  and  within 
which  are  six  others.  Proceeding  from  lowest  to 
highest,  each  is  more  tenuous  and  of  larger  girth 
than  the  one  before  it.  The  ethereal  Mount  Zion  is 
in  one  of  the  higher  and  larger  of  the  seven;  and 
the  angelic  company  are  those  of  mankind  perfected 
during  the  slow  equinoctial  turning  of  the  Zodiacal 
wheel.  This  immense  period  of  evolution  began  in 
Atlantean  times  and  dates  from  that  period  in  the 
soul's  progress  when  it  became  fully  responsible,  and 
so  quite  capable  of  engendering  merit  and  demerit. 

This  perfected  company,  whose  individual  number 
is  144 — or  9  the  number  of  assimilated  earthly  experi- 
ence— and  whose  collective  number  is  formed  by  add- 
ing cyphers  to  the  144,  have  outstripped  their  fellows, 
the  great  majority  of  whom  have  had  equal  time  and 
opportunity,  for  that  the  human  race  is  old  indeed 
on  this  planet  the  Secret  Science  confidently  affirms. 


115 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Having  his  father's  name  in  their  foreheads  signifies 
knowledge  of  the  Word,  and  also  that  in  a  way  the 
one  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand  have  become 
the  Word  and  the  wielders  of  its  power.  These  are 
in  fact  the  guardian  angels  of  this  lower  earth  which 
still  is  the  abode  of  those  who  re-enter  and  depart 
through  the  gates  of  birth  and  of  death. 

"2  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the 
voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder:  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping 
with  their  harps."  The  verse  has  reference  to  vibra- 
tion, the  rate  of  which  increases  gradually  from  the 
lowest  to  the  highest  of  the  seven  globes  comprising 
the  earth  septenary.  Though  inaudible  to  the  physi- 
cal ear,  to  super-physical  hearing  these  vibrations 
may  be  compared  to  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and 
even  to  that  of  a  great  thunder.  That  on  the  higher 
planes  of  our  globe  there  are  no  discordant  vibrations, 
is  intimated  by  what  is  said  concerning  the  harps. 

"3  And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before 
the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders: 
and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but  the  hundred 
and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed 
from  the  earth."  This  new  song  is  not  necessarily 
music  as  we  understand  the  art;  rather  it  is  that 
higher  vibration,  indicated  by  the  10  into  which  the 
company  has  entered  in  its  rise  toward  the  con- 
dition of  the  four  beasts  and  the  twenty-four  elders. 
"No  man  could  learn  that  song"  means  that  no  man 
can  function  with  full  consciousness  on  the  planes  of 
high  vibration  unless  he  be  of  the  redeemed,  in  fact 
of  the  evolved  of  the  race. 

"4  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with 


116 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

women;  for  they  are  virgins.  These  are  they  which 
follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth.  These 
were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being  the  first 
fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb."  See  II  Cor.  11:2; 
Jas.  1:16.  On  the  words:  "they  are  virgins"  the 
Secret  Science  throws  needed  light,  for  it  teaches  that 
before  the  separation  of  Eve  from  Adam's  rib,  man 
was  a  sexless  being,  and  that  perfecting  man  tends 
towards  the  sexless  condition.  The  defilement  with 
women  has  a  secondary  meaning,  for  the  word  women 
can  signify  the  unpurified  passional  nature  in  any  of 
its  various  expressions. 

"These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever he  goeth"  reveals  the  Master's  status  as  the 
chief  est,  not  of  ten  thousand,  but  of  the  entire  angelic 
host  connected  directly  with  this  planet.  "These 
were  redeemed  from  among  men,"  shows,  even  as 
the  seer  Swedenborg  had  discovered,  that  angels 
were  once  men.  The  words  "the  first  fruits"  hint  at 
a  greater  company  eventually  to  be  added  to  the 
host  first  mentioned  in  verse  1. 

"5  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile:  for 
they  are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God." 
To  speak  with  guile  is  to  speak  falsely  not  in  igno- 
rance, but  in  full  knowledge  of  the  truth.  These 
beings  have  achieved  what  the  Psalmist  desired, 
saying:  "He  shall  redeem  my  soul  from  guile." 
These  are  without  fault  before  the  throne,  that  is 
they  are  blameless,  even  though  judged  by  the 
highest  standard. 

"6  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of 
heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation. 


117 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  The  angel 
is  the  representative  of  Michael  whose  orb,  the  Sun, 
sheds  its  light  over  all  the  earth.  Unfortunately 
this  everlasting  gospel  has  many  interpretations.  In 
lands  supposedly  Christian,  a  multitude  of  sects 
each  claims  to  be  the  real  custodian  of  truth.  How 
many  of  these  would  accept  the  Revelator's  teaching 
concerning  zodiacal,  solar,  and  planetary  influences? 
How  many  would  acknowledge  his  star  angels,  in 
other  words,  his  planetary  rulers?  How  many  would 
give  to  Jesus  the  Christ  the  unique  position  of  ruler 
of  this  planet  and  this  only?  Touching  the  Master, 
the  Nicene  creed  reads:  "God  of  God,  Light  of  Light, 
very  God  of  very  God,"  while  in  Jesus,  Swedenborg 
discovers  Jehovah  God  made  flesh;  a  unity,  a  single 
person  with  a  trinity  of  attributes. 

In  dealing  with  any  problem  thoroughly  Eastern, 
especially  a  religious  problem,  the  Western  mind 
arrives  at  queer  conclusions,  and  always  will  unless 
it  strives  for  the  Eastern  view-point.  Occidental 
theology  must  be  modified  by  Oriental  philosophy 
before  "the  everlasting  gospel"  can  be  adapted  to 
Eastern  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  peoples.  For 
the  last  forty  years  or  more,  Greek  thought  and 
philosophy  have  been  yielding  increasingly  to  their 
Oriental  equivalents;  wherefore  the  deed  mentioned 
in  the  verse  is  brought  nearer  and  nearer. 

"7  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God,  and 
give  glory  to  him;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is 
come:  and  worship  him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth, 
and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  water."  "For  the 
hour  of  his  judgment  is  come:"  contains  nothing  of 
immed lateness.     The  verse  relates  a  thing  visioned 


118 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

on  a  plane  of  consciousness  where  earthly  divisions 
of  time  do  not  obtain,  or  at  least  they  obtain  but 
imperfectly.  However,  it  is  only  reasonable  to  say 
that  judgment  will  not  come  until  the  everlasting 
gospel  has  been  preached  to  the  understanding  of  all 
the  earth,  and  men  everywhere  have  had  oppor- 
tunity to  "worship  him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth 
and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters." 

"8  And  there  followed  another  angel,  saying, 
Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  because 
she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath 
of  her  fornication."  See  Isa.  21:9.  The  angel  is 
Raguel  the  ruler  of  Mars,  and  the  warrior  against 
Babylon.  Commentators  who  follow  the  historical 
method  have  agreed  that  the  wicked  city  was  pagan 
Rome;  and  so,  in  a  sense,  it  was;  for  Rome  furnished 
an  adequate  type  of  the  mystic  Babylon.  In  the 
words:  "Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,"  a  peculiarity 
both  of  Isaiah  and  Revelation  is  revealed.  The  words 
" is  fallen, "  are  written  twice;  outwardly  for  emphasis, 
but  inwardly  to  signify  that  Babylon  is  to  fall  twice ; 
first  in  type  to  wit,  as  the  Roman  Empire,  and, 
second,  in  reality.  We  hold  that  the  real  fall  is  yet 
to  occur,  and  at  a  time  not  far  removed  from  the 
present. 

The  spell  of  warlike  Rome  at  the  zenith  of  her 
power  was  an  intoxicant  to  other  nations,  and  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication — lust  for  power — 
wrought  the  destruction  of  weaker  states.  History 
repeats  itself  and  if  not  faithfully,  at  least  as  a 
general  likeness,  and  so  again  Rome,  no  longer  pagan, 
but  materialistic  and  filled  with  lust  of  gain,  must 
cast  the  spell  of  war  upon  the  world.    This  modern 


119 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Rome,  not  the  city  so  named,  but  its  new  prototype, 
is  the  one  whose  fall  is  to  affect  profoundly,  and  for 
the  better,  the  future  of  the  world. 

"9  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice,  if  any  man  worship  the  beast  and 
his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or 
in  his  hand."  The  angel  is  Gabriel  ruler  of  the  lunar 
sphere,  and  also  the  representative  of  that  equilibrium 
which  results  from  the  dispensing  of  rigid  justice. 
As  explained  in  chapter  13,  the  number  of  the  beast 
is  600,  while  that  of  the  image  is  6.  To  make  the 
beast  and  its  image  the  model  of  one's  life  is  to  have 
the  mark,  and  to  be  judged  both  from  the  thought 
of  the  brain  and  the  work  of  the  hand. 

"  10  The  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation;  and  he  shall  be  tor- 
mented with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of 
the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb." 
The  verse  threatens  dire  and  unescapable  penalties 
to  those  who  have  the  mark  of  the  beast  and  of 
Antichrist  his  image.  This  tormenting  with  fire 
and  brimstone  is  symbolical  of  purgatorial  purifica- 
tion. Righteous  punishment  is  in  no  wise  vindictive, 
else  how  could  the  holy  angels  and  the  Lamb  look  on 
with  feelings  not  inimical  to  the  serenity  of  the 
blessed  ? 

"11  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth 
up  for  ever  and  ever:  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and 
whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name."  The 
meaning  of  "for  ever  and  ever"  is  for  ages  and  ages. 
The  144,000  were  each  freed  from  the  chain  of  re-birth 


120 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

only  after  many  thousand  years  of  right  living; 
but  for  those  who,  in  the  great  Cycle  of  Necessity, 
take  two  steps  forward  and  one  backward,  the  period 
of  regeneration  must  be  far  longer;  while  for  those 
who  have  been  contaminated  by  the  world  evil  and 
branded  by  the  mark,  the  period  of  purification  must 
seem  indeed  an  eternity. 

"12  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints:  here  are 
they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the 
faith  of  Jesus."  The  patience  of  the  saints  is  rooted 
in  the  knowledge  that  all  wrong  shall  be  righted,  and 
that  demerit  must  undergo  the  penalty  which  teaches 
that  only  in  the  way  of  pure  living,  that  is  of  obedience 
and  faith,  can  peace  be  found. 

"13  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying 
unto  me.  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth:  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labors;  and  their  works  do 
follow  them."  These  blessed  dead  are  they  who, 
profiting  by  the  life  of  their  great  Elder  Brother, 
shall  fit  themselves  during  material  life  for  death- 
entrance  into  the  great  company  that  go  out  no  more. 
Resting  from  labor  here  means  change  of  activity. 
"Their  works  do  follow  them"  means  that  whatever 
of  immaterial  treasure  is  gathered  on  earth,  can  be 
assimilated  in  the  life  beyond. 

"14  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  white  cloud, 
and  upon  the  cloud  one  sat  like  unto  the  Son  of  man, 
having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown  and  in  his  hand  a 
sharp  sickle."  The  one  seated  on  the  white  cloud  is 
Suriel  the  angel  of  Jupiter.  He  represents  the  divine 
Spiritual  Will  whose  earthly  representatives  are 
addressed  in  chapter  2:8,  as  if  they  were  but  one. 


I 


121 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

There  they  are  called  the  angel  of  the  church  in 
Smyrna.  As  the  spiritual  will  in  man  is  ruler,  so  in 
the  planetary  system  Jupiter  rules.  Hence  the 
golden  crown  of  Suriel,  and  his  likeness  to  the  Son 
of  man  who  triumphed  in  Gethsemane.  The  sharp 
sickle  indicates  a  judgment  harvest. 

"15  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple, 
crying  with  a  loud  voice  to  him  that  sat  on  the  cloud : 
Thrust  in  thy  sickle,  and  reap,  for  the  time  is  come 
for  thee  to  reap;  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe." 
The  one  coming  out  of  the  temple  of  higher  Wisdom 
is  Uriel  the  angel  of  Venus.  The  command  is  to 
reap  those  in  every  way  the  best,  to  wit,  the  self- 
governed;  hence  the  harvest  is  necessarily  small. 
This  reaping  symbolizes  that  first  separation  of  peoples 
which  takes  place  at  the  first  judgment;  the  one  due 
at  the  end  of  the  Piscean  age;  and  which  in  a  way 
prepares  the  earth  for  that  greater  judgment  due  at 
the  end  of  the  Aquarian  age. 

"16  And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his 
sickle  on  the  earth;  and  the  earth  was  reaped." 
This  reaping  is  a  spiritual  one  of  no  great  significance 
to  the  world  at  large:  however  the  wise  will  see  and 
understand. 

"17  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple 
which  is  in  heaven,  he  also  having  a  sharp  sickle." 
This  is  Jerahmeel,  the  angel  of  Saturn. 

"18  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar, 
which  had  power  over  fire;  and  cried  with  a  loud 
voice  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying:  Thrust 
in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the 
vine  of  the  earth;  for  her  grapes  are  fully  ripe." 
See  Joel  3:  13.     The  one  from  the  altar  is  the  angel 


122 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

of  Mercury,  Raphael  whose  hosts  are  the  sons  of  the 
flame  and  fire.  "Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and 
gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth;  for  her 
grapes  are  fully  ripe"  signifies  that  the  vine  of  the 
earth  branches  out  to  every  land,  and  that  its  grapes 
are  a  human  harvest  ready  for  the  judgment. 

"19  And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the 
earth,  and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast 
it  into  the  great  wine- press  of  the  wrath  of  God." 
The  verse  really  refers  to  Armageddon,  and  the 
wine-press  is  the  centre  of  the  field  of  battle.  The 
name  Armageddon  which  appears  in  chapter  16:  16, 
was  chosen  to  symbolize  the  battle  of  the  nations 
because  the  song  of  Deborah  and  Barak  contains 
a  clue  to  the  outcome  of  the  conflict:  "The  kings 
came  and  fought,  then  fought  the  kings  of  Canaan 
in  Taanach  by  the  waters  Megiddo,  they  took  no  gain 
of  money.  They  fought  from  heaven;  the  stars  in 
their  courses  fought  against  Sisera." 

"20  And  the  wine-press  was  trodden  without 
the  city,  and  blood  came  out  of  the  wine-press,  even 
unto  the  horse-bridles,  by  the  space  of  a  thousand 
and  six  hundred  furlongs."  See  chapter  19:  11-17. 
The  battle,  which  is  against  the  hosts  of  Antichrist, 
is  fought  outside  the  city,  in  other  words  outside  the 
limits  of  his  kingdom.  The  blood  unto  the  horse- 
bridles  by  the  space  of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred 
furlongs  indicates  the  sanguinary  nature  of  the  con- 
flict, and  the  length  of  the  battle  line  which  literally 
would  be  two  hundred  miles,  or  rather  a  little  less 
because  the  Greek  stadium  is  a  little  short  of  a 
furlong.  Thus  ends  the  second  act  in  the  prophetic 
drama  of  Revelation. 


123 


Chapter  XV 

AND  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven,  great  and 
marvellous,  seven  angels  having  the  seven 
last  plagues;  for  in  them  is  filled  up  the  wrath 
of  God."  The  third  act  of  the  drama  opens  with  the 
seven  angel-dispensers  of  the  seven  plagues  or  judg- 
ments which  in  fact  are  the  seals  and  trumpets  seen 
from  a  different  angle  so  to  speak.  The  angels  are 
those  of  the  Sephiroth  already  described. 

"2  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled 
with  fire:  and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over 
the  beast,  and  over  his  image,  and  over  his  mark, 
and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  stand  on  the  sea 
of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God."  The  sea  of  glass 
and  fire  is  one  of  the  six  ethereal  envelopes  of  the 
physical  earth.  Fire  is  a  universal  element,  though 
not  always  recognizable  as  such.  The  crude  physi- 
cal fire  which  scorches  and  burns  is  but  one  of  many. 
Mind  is  a  fire,  and  so  also  is  love.  The  fire  here 
mentioned  is  akin  to  that  which  Moses  saw  when 
on  Horeb  he  marvelled  that  the  burning  bush  was 
not  consumed. 

Those  on  the  shining  sea,  which  to  them  is  hard 
like  glass  and  as  transparent,  have  overcome  the 
world  evil  which  is  the  beast,  and  have  not  followed 
the  lead  of  Antichrist,  nor  taken  part  in  his  schemes 
for  material  gain  and  power,  and  so  are  not  judged 
by  the  six  judgments  indicated  in  the  number  of  his 
name.  These  now  have  entered  into  that  harmonious 
condition  meant  by  the  simile  of  the  harps  of  God. 

"3  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the  servant 


124 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  saying:  Great 
and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty; 
just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints." 
The  song  of  Moses  is  the  one  beginning:  "I  will  sing 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously:  the 
horse  and  his  rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea." 
The  inference  is  that  in  the  present  instance  the  song 
is  a  paean  of  victory  over  the  hosts  of  Antichrist  in 
the  great  battle  of  Armageddon.  Pharaoh  was 
swallowed  up  of  the  sea,  and  in  some  unrevealed  way 
the  fate  of  Antichrist  is  comparable  to  that  of  the 
Egyptian  tyrant.  The  song  of  Moses  was  to  the  Lord 
who  had  triumphed  gloriously,  but  now  direct  praise 
is  to  the  Lamb  who  is  equally  victorious.  The  words : 
"Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works,"  is  rightful 
praise  to  the  Lord  God  since  he,  the  ruler  of  the 
spheres,  is  over  all. 

"4  Who  shall  not  fear  thee  O  Lord,  and  glorify 
thy  name?  For  thou  only  art  holy:  for  all  nations 
shall  come  and  worship  before  thee;  for  thy  judg- 
ments are  made  manifest."  The  verse  continues  the 
praise  of  God  to  whom  all  nations  henceforth  shall 
come  in  worship,  for  his  judgments  in  the  great 
matter  of  Antichrist  are  manifest  to  the  world. 

"5  And  after  that  I  looked,  and,  behold,  the 
temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in  heaven 
was  opened."  This  temple  of  the  tabernacle  con- 
tains the  heavenly  law  whose  correspondent  is  the 
Decalogue  to  which  Jesus  added  two  command- 
ments inclusive  of  the  others,  even  as  the  Zodiacal 
signs  Aries  and  Libra  incorporate  the  substance  of 
the  other  ten. 

"6  And  the  seven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple, 


125 


THE    REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

having  the  seven  plagues,  clothed  in  pure  and  white 
linen,  and  having  their  breasts  girdled  with  golden 
girdles."  Like  the  Son  of  man,  as  described  in  chapter 
1:13,  these  angels  are  enveloped  in  shining  auras 
whose  diamond  luster  synthesizes  the  seven  pris- 
matic colors.  Ordinarily  the  golden  girdles  would 
indicate  Venusian  wisdom. 

"7  And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  unto  the 
seven  angels  seven  golden  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever."  Gold  being  the 
metal  sacred  to  the  solar  powers,  the  giving  of  golden 
vessels  is  a  hint  that  Michael  is  the  beast  or  arch- 
angel spoken  of.  As  for  the  seven  golden  girdles,  it 
now  appears  that  they  indicate  authority  from  the 
highest  source.  "The  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever,"  means  the  judgment  of  God  whose 
decrees  are  sure,  however  long  in  the  carrying  out. 

"8  And  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke  from 
the  glory  of  God,  and  from  his  power;  and  no  man 
was  able  to  enter  into  the  temple,  till  the  seven 
plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled."  Here 
srhoke  signifies  the  mystery  of  the  Divine  purpose. 
**And  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into  the  temple,  till 
the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled," 
means  that  human  understanding  is  unable  to  solve 
the  mystery  of  that  purpose  until  the  events  them- 
selves shall  furnish  the  key. 

Only  the  unexpected  and  unparallelled  events  of 
the  opening  years  of  this  century  have  furnished 
that  key;  and  while  certain  seals  have  been  opened, 
and  certain  trumpets  sounded,  and  certain  vials 
poured,  whoever  enters  the  temple  cannot  hope  to 
approach  the  central  mystery  until  the  consummation. 


126 


Chapter  XVI 

AND  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple 
saying  to  the  seven  angels:  Go  your  ways 
and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  the  earth."  The  voice  is  that  of  one  who  spake 
in  tones  of  thunder  at  the  opening  of  the  first  seal. 
It  is  in  fact  the  voice  of  Michael  who  rules  the 
heavenly  host  even  as  the  sun  rules  the  seven  planets. 

''2  And  the  first  went,  and  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  earth ;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous 
sore  upon  the  men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast, 
and  upon  them  which  worshipped  his  image."  This 
angel  is  he  who,  as  ruler  of  the  inter-Mercurial 
planet,  represents  Michael  in  the  Sephiroth,  and 
whose  trumpet  awoke  the  earth's  volcanic  fires. 
The  verse  would  indicate  a  pestilence  choosing  the 
followers  of  Antichrist.  These  bring  to  mind  the 
plague  of  boils  which  chose  out  the  Egyptian  oppres- 
sors of  the  Jews.  From  the  modern  view-point,  the 
affliction  of  the  followers  of  Antichrist  would  result 
from  their  assembling  in  some  unsanitary  place. 

"3  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  sea;  and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man: 
and  every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea."  This  angel  is 
Raguel  the  ruler  of  Mars  who  sounded  the  second 
trumpet  whereat  what  seemed  a  great  mountain  was 
cast  into  the  sea,  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became 
blood,  and  a  third  part  of  the  fishes  died.  Now,  from  a 
different  view-point,  the  blood  was  that  of  slaughtered 
men,  and  all  life  in  the  sea  was  destroyed.  The  one- 
third  of  the  sea  and  the  one-third  of  its  creatures 


127 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

might  be  a  correct  estimate  when  the  whole  sea  was 
in  the  mind  of  the  writer,  whereas,  if  at  another  time 
he  considered  only  the  locality,  he  could  say  that  the 
entire  sea  was  tinged  with  human  slaughter,  and  all 
life  therein  was  destroyed. 

"4  And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they  became 
blood."  This  angel  is  Gabriel  at  the  sounding  of 
whose  trumpet  a  great  star  fell  from  heaven;  in  fact 
the  star  of  judgment  which  brought  bitter  things  to 
those  who  deserved  them.  The  additional  particulars 
of  this  fourth  verse  indicate  that  human  slaughter 
will  not  be  confined  to  the  sea;  the  rivers  and 
the  fountains  are  to  receive  their  dreadful  con- 
tribution. 

"5  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say:  Thou 
art  righteous,  O  Lord,  which  art,  and  wast,  and 
shall  be,  because  thou  hast  judged  thus."  The  angel 
of  the  waters  is  Gabriel,  ruler  of  the  lunar  sphere. 
After  God,  he  is  the  foreknower  of  all  events,  their 
causes  and  consummations;  hence  he  is  the  one  to 
pronounce  on  the  righteous  judgment  of  the  Lord. 

"6  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and 
prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them  blood  to  drink." 
"  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets," 
see  Matt.  23:  34,  and  Luke  11:  49.  "And  thou  hast 
given  them  blood  to  drink,"  see  Isa.  49 :  26.  The  verse 
is  one  of  many  in  which  John  in  a  way  draws  from 
the  older  writers. 

"7  And  I  heard  another  out  of  the  altar  say: 
Even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous 
are  thy  judgments."  This  angel  is  Michael  who 
stands  to  Gabriel  as  positive  to  negative,  or,  from 


128 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  Zodiacal  point  of  view,  as  north  to  south,  as  Aries 
to  Libra. 

"8  And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  sun;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  scorch 
men  with  fire."  This  is  the  angel  Jerahmeel  whose 
sounding  of  the  fourth  trumpet  caused  a  third  part 
of  the  Sun,  the  Moon,  and  the  Stars  to  be  darkened. 
As  one  explanation  of  this  event  we  said  that  none 
of  these  luminaries,  but  man's  perception  of  it  was 
darkened.  Now  it  appears  that,  notwithstanding  this 
seeming  darkness,  men  are  to  be  scorched  with  solar 
heat.  This  heat  is  an  internal  one,  and  proceeds  from 
some  abnormal  condition  of  the  solar  plexus  which  is 
known  as  the  sun  of  the  body.  The  condition  indi- 
cated is  psychological,  rather  than  physical. 

"9  And  men  were  scorched  with  great  heat,  and 
blasphemed  the  name  of  God,  which  hath  power  over 
these  plagues:  and  they  repented  not  to  give  him 
glory."  In  the  mind  of  the  Revelator  the  afflicted 
are  likened  to  Pharaoh  and  Nebuchadnezzar  who 
hardened  their  hearts  under  the  punishments  of 
heaven. 

"10  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  seat  of  the  beast;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of 
darkness;  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain, 
11  And  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven  because  of 
their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their 
deeds."  This  angel  is  Uriel  whose  sounding  of  the 
fifth  trumpet  caused — according  to  the  second  expla- 
nation of  chapter  9:2, — seismic  disturbances  which 
filled  the  air  with  carbonic  acid  gas  and  sulphurous 
fumes,  thus  poisoning  the  atmosphere  and  obscuring 
the  face  of  the  sun.     By  the  seat  of  the  beast,  whose 


129 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

kingdom  extends  to  the  earth's  four  corners,  is  meant 
the  definitely  located  realm  of  Antichrist.  That 
this  realm  was  full  of  darkness,  and  that  its  inhabi- 
tants gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain,  is  due  to  con- 
ditions described  in  dealing  with  chapter  9:1  to  11 
inclusive.  Verse  11  of  the  present  chapter  indicates 
that,  like  Pharaoh  of  old,  this  people  will  remain 
obdurate  notwithstanding  the  warning  in  this  visita- 
tion. 

"12  And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  great  river  Euphrates;  and  the  water  thereof 
was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the  kings  from  the 
sunrise  might  be  prepared."  This  angel  is  Raphael 
whose  sounding  of  the  sixth  trumpet  loosed  the  four 
angels  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates.  The 
puzzle  now  presented  is  most  ingenious,  for  at  first 
thought  it  might  be  supposed  that  the  solar  Euphrates 
is  the  only  one  designated.  The  drying  up  of  the 
sun's  beams  would  in  no  degree  facilitate  the  progress 
of  the  kings  of  the  east;  neither  would  the  drying  up 
of  the  literal  river  much  further  the  movement  of  an 
army  bent  on  achieving  some  definite  end.  Of  this 
matter  Isaiah  speaks  figuratively  thus:  "And  the 
Lord  shall  utterly  destroy  the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian 
sea;  and  with  his  mighty  wind  shall  he  shake  his  hand 
over  the  river,  and  shall  smite  it  in  its  seven  streams, 
and  make  men  to  go  over  dry-shod." 

John  was  a  Gnostic  Christian  and  a  Jew  to  whom 
his  nation  was  the  greatest  of  eastern  peoples,  in  fact 
the  kings  of  the  east.  In  the  exodus  the  Egyptian 
sea  seemed  an  obstacle  to  the  flight  of  the  chosen 
people,  and  the  Euphrates  in  the  vicinity  of  Babylon 
was  the  scene  of  the  captivity  under  Nebuchadnezzar. 


130 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

So  in  a  metaphorical  sense  the  Euphrates  was  an 
obstacle  to  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  Zion.  In  these 
facts  is  found  the  key  to  the  riddle  of  the  verse.  The 
sounding  of  the  sixth  trumpet  was  the  battle  call  of 
earth's  armies,  and  the  equivalent  of  that  trumpet 
was  the  pouring  of  the  sixth  vial  which  removed,  by 
means  of  those  armies,  the  obstacle  to  the  return  of 
the  Jews  to  their  own  land. 

"13  And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs 
come  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
false  prophet."  Here  the  devil,  the  world-evil,  and 
Antichrist  are  all  of  one  mind ;  and  their  evil  thoughts 
are  likened  to  the  plague  of  frogs  which  troubled  the 
Egyptians. 

"14  For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils  working 
miracles,  which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth 
and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle 
of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty."  See  II  Thess. 
2:8,  9.  These  miracles  are  those  of  persuasion. 
They  are  those  ideas  which  arouse  the  heads  of  great 
nations  either  to  lust  of  gain,  or  jealousy,  or  fear,  or 
to  that  desperation  which  is  sourced  in  the  instinct 
of  self-preservation.  From  these  causes,  and  no  doubt 
from  others — for  much  is  left  to  conjecture — come 
a  gathering  together  of  armies  such  as  the  world  had 
not  before  seen,  or  even  dreamed  of;  for  this  is  the 
great  day  of  God  Almighty  in  which  the  future 
welfare  of  the  world  trembles  in  the  balance. 

"15  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that 
watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk 
naked,  and  they  see  his  shame."  See  Matt.  24:42. 
Why  is  this  verse  here  introduced  abruptly  and  with- 


131 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

out  apparent  relation  to  the  subject  matter  unless  it 
is  a  hint  and  a  warning  of  the  sudden  and  stealthy 
approach  of  the  Master?  Concerning  exact  dates,  no 
man  knoweth  the  day,  nor  the  hour;  but  surely  the 
trend  of  events  should  aid  our  effort  toward  an  approxi- 
mate time.  The  garments  spoken  of  are  those  of 
righteousness.  In  the  great  day  of  searching,  the 
unrighteousness  of  men  will  be  apparent;  they  will 
be  naked  so  to  speak. 

"16  And  he  gathered  them  together  in  a  place 
called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon."  This  is 
the  battle  to  which  veiled  allusion  was  made  in 
chapter  14:20.  Strict  sequence  is  not  to  be  expected 
of  a  book  like  Revelation.  No  doubt  the  events 
there  depicted  are  in  the  order  of  their  appearance 
to  John,  but  then,  as  already  said,  earthly  ideas  of 
time,  and  events  in  time,  do  not  obtain  on  the  higher 
planes  of  being. 

"17  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
into  the  air;  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the 
temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying:  It  is 
done."  The  angel  of  this  last  vial  is  Suriel,  at  the 
sounding  of  whose  trumpet  there  were  great  voices 
in  heaven  saying:  "The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are 
become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ." 
The  earth,  the  sea,  the  rivers  and  fountains,  the  sun, 
the  seat  of  the  beast,  and  the  river  Euphrates  all 
have  received  their  dread  portions;  and  now  the  last 
vial  is  poured  into  the  air  to  indicate  some  momen- 
tous happening  perhaps  not  far  above  the  surface  of 
the  earth.  The  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of 
heaven  is  that  of  Michael:  "the  great  prince  who 
standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people." 


132 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"  18  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and 
lightnings;  and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such 
as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty 
an  earthquake,  and  so  great."  At  the  opening  of  the 
sixth  seal  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and  the 
seeming  end  of  all  things;  but  evidently  this  hap- 
pening was  more  or  less  local.  The  removal  of  every 
island  and  mountain  does  not  necessarily  include  all  in 
the  world.  Soon  after  the  sounding  of  the  sixth 
trumpet  there  was  a  great  earthquake  and  the  tenth 
part  of  the  city  fell;  but  at  the  pouring  of  the  sixth 
vial  no  mention  was  made  of  this  earthquake.  It  is 
apparent  that  the  record  of  the  happenings  at  the 
opening  of  the  seven  seals  conveys  certain  informa- 
tion which  is  supplemented  in  the  record  of  the 
seven  trumpets,  and  still  more  enlarged  in  the  record 
of  the  seven  vials.  Hence  it  is  no  unreasonable  find- 
ing if  two  earthquakes  are  deduced  from  the  particu- 
lars in  respect  to  the  last  two  seals,  and  trumpets. 
Possibly  these  earthquakes  symbolize  internal  discord 
like  that  of  the  French  Revolution,  but  on  a  scale 
surpassing  anything  in  the  history  of  the  world.  See 
comment  on  chapter  9 :  20. 

"19  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three 
parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell;  and  great 
Babylon  came  into  remembrance  before  God,  to  give 
unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his 
wrath."  The  great  city  is  the  kindgom  of  Antichrist 
of  which  one-tenth  had  already  fallen.  The  divid- 
ing into  three  parts  would  indicate  dismemberment, 
or  it  might  mean  that  the  city  was  divided  as  is  the 
crater  of  a  volcano  sometimes  during  an  eruption. 
This  second  theory  is  strengthened  by  the  account  in 


133 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

chapter  18.  There  the  friends  and  lovers  of  Babylon 
stand  afar  off  and  lament  at  her  burning.  "And  the 
cities  of  the  nations  fell"  would  indicate  that  the  dis- 
turbance, of  whatever  kind,  will  spread  to  other 
kingdoms.  "The  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of 
his  wrath"  means  the  meed  of  severe  judgment  which 
the  iniquity  of  the  doomed  city  has  brought  upon 
herself. 

"20  And  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  moun- 
tains were  not  found."  In  chapter  6:  14,  it  was  said 
that:  "every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out 
of  their  places."  This  occurred  at  the  opening  of 
the  sixth  seal;  but  now,  at  the  pouring  of  the  seventh 
vial,  every  island  and  every  mountain  were  annihilated. 
That  even  this  is  not  a  universal  cataclysm  is  indi- 
cated by  the  contents  of  the  next  verse. 

"21  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of 
heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent: 
and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of  the  plague  of 
the  hail;  for  the  plague  thereof  was  exceeding  great." 
A  Jewish  talent  is  about  ninety  pounds;  hence  the 
hail  may  be  a  meteoric  shower — which  seems 
improbable — or  else  it  is  a  descent  of  volcanic  rock. 
In  the  mind  of  the  Revelator  the  men  who  yet  blas- 
phemed God  are  like  Pharoah  of  whom  we  read: 
"And  I  will  harden  Pharaoh's  heart,  and  multiply 
my  signs  and  wonders  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  But 
Pharaoh  shall  not  hearken  unto  you,  that  I  may  lay 
my  hand  upon  Egypt,  and  bring  forth  mine  armies, 
and  my  people  the  children  of  Israel,  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt  by  great  judgments." 

Concerning  the  hail  out  of  heaven,  the  verse  holds 
a  hidden  comparison  between  it  and  the  hail  which 

134 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

devastated  Egypt,  but  did  not  trouble  the  land  of 
Goshen  where  the  children  of  Israel  had  dwelling. 

In  this  comparison,  Goshen  is  the  land  outside 
the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  the  inference  is  that 
none  save  those  having  the  mark  of  the  beast  are  to 
suffer  the  dread  punishments  due  at  the  end  of  the  age. 
Revelation  elsewhere  makes  certain  veiled  compari- 
sons between  the  Pharaoh  of  the  Oppression  and  Anti- 
christ who  would  enslave  peoples  beyond  his  empire 
proper,  and  who,  notwithstanding  many  reverses  or 
judgments,  will  not  relent  until  driven  to  extremities. 

According  to  Jewish  history,  Pharaoh  was  drowned 
in  the  Red  Sea.  Now  concerning  the  manner  of  the 
physical  death  of  Antichrist,  Revelation  saith  not, 
but  the  inference  is  that  the  wave  of  retribution 
loosed  by  the  seals  and  trumpets  and  vials,  will  over- 
take him  as  well  as  his  hosts.  As  for  the  new  Moses, 
the  instrument  of  the  Divine  purpose,  unfolding 
events  alone  will  reveal  him  to  the  children  of  the 
new  dispensation.  May  there  be  no  latter  day  wan- 
dering in  the  wilderness !  Nor  should  there  be ,  because, 
if  Revelation  is  to  be  trusted,  mankind  is  assured  of 
a  speedy  entry  into  the  Promise. 


135 


Chapter  XVII 

AND  there  came  one  of  the  seven  angels  which 
had  the  seven  vials,  and  talked  with  me, 
saying  unto  me:  Come  hither;  I  will  shew 
unto  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that 
sitteth  upon  many  waters."  The  angel  is  Gabriel 
who,  according  to  chapter  1:1,  was  sent  by  Jesus 
Christ  to  reveal  unto  John  things  which  must  surely 
come  to  pass.  The  great  whore  sitting  upon  many 
waters  is  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist.  Through  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  the  Lord  long  before  had  pronounced 
judgment  upon  the  original  Babylon  that  dwelt 
"upon  many  waters,"  and  the  words  of  John  were  yet 
to  be  fulfilled  against  the  Roman  Empire;  but  the 
prophecy  ended  not  then,  for  Rome  itself  was  but 
a  type  of  the  Babylon  with  which  the  seventeenth 
and  eighteenth  chapters  of  Revelation  deal  in  an 
extended  way. 

"2  With  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  com- 
mitted fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  forni- 
cation." Although  a  superficial  explanation  would 
indicate  that  all  kings  and  all  inhabitants  are  here 
included,  only  those  rulers  and  peoples  are  meant 
who,  because  of  a  community  of  interests,  have 
leagued  themselves  with  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist. 
"Made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication" 
means  that  against  their  better  judgment,  these 
have  yielded  to  the  wiles  of  Antichrist  and  his  fol- 
lowers. 

"3  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  into  the 


136 


THE    REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

wilderness:  and  I  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a  scarlet 
beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns."  "In  the  spirit"  as  the  words 
are  here  used,  means  a  trance  condition  unlike  that 
of  those  who  have  communication  with  familiar 
spirits.  Here  the  wilderness  means  the  place  where 
one  loses  his  way  even  as  the  Israelites  who,  because 
of  disobedience,  were  compelled  to  wander  therein 
for  forty  years. 

The  scarlet  colored  beast  typifies  the  dragon 
mentioned  in  chapter  12,  as  making  war  on  the 
woman  in  the  sky,  and  his  seven  heads  and  ten  horns 
and  blasphemies  have  already  been  described  in 
what  was  said  of  the  beast  that  rose  out  of  the  sea. 

"4  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and 
scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold  and  precious 
stones  and  pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand 
full  of  abominations  and  filthiness  of  her  fornication." 
In  chapter  13  was  described  the  pseudo-lion,  the 
pseudo-lamb  or  ram,  and  the  pseudo-Christ;  and 
now  is  described  the  pseudo-queen,  the  mother — not 
after  the  flesh — of  Antichrist  even  as  Aquarius,  the 
other  woman,  the  one  in  the  sky,  was  the  spiritual 
mother  of  Christ  at  his  second  coming.  The  golden 
cup  is  the  fair  and  even  royal  external  of  the  deeds 
of  the  queen  mother  which  inwardly  are  but  intrigue 
and  injustice.  No  doubt  John  had  in  mind  the  saying 
of  Jesus:  "Ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 
of  the  platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion 
and  excess."  Also  John  may  have  considered  the 
words  of  Jeremiah:  "Babylon  hath  been  a  golden 
cup  in  the  Lord's  hand  that  made  all  the  earth 
drunken."      Had  the  earth  been  guiltless,   Babylon 


137 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

would  not  have  been  a  golden  cup  to  make  her 
drunken. 

"5  And  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name  written: 
MYSTERY,  BABYLON  THE  GREAT,  THE 
MOTHER  OF  HARLOTS  AND  ABOMINATIONS 
OF  THE  EARTH."  The  name  in  Capitals  upon  the 
forehead  signifies  that  the  woman  is  branded  in  the 
sight  of  the  whole  world. 

"6  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of 
Jesus:  and  when  I  saw  her,  I  wondered  with  great 
wonder."  The  verse  describes  the  Roman  Empire 
and  especially  the  city  of  Rome  under  the  pagan 
emperors,  particularly  Domitian  and  Nero,  and  so 
commentators  generally  have  deemed  the  prophecy 
fulfilled,  whereas  the  verse  looks  forward  to  a  far 
later  time  when  the  reincarnation,  so  to  speak,  of 
Roman  cruelty  would  occur,  and  would  manifest  in 
a  way  even  more  brutal.  The  Revelator  wondered 
greatly  when  he  beheld  the  deeds  of  Nero  and  his 
kind  surpassed  by  the  harlot  mother  and  the  tyrant 
Antichrist,  and  his  followers. 

"7  And  the  angel  said  unto  me:  Wherefore  didst 
thou  marvel?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the 
woman,  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which 
hath  seven  heads  and  ten  horns."  The  thought  is 
that  John  would  cease  to  wonder  when  he  was  made 
to  know  the  identity  of  the  beast  with  whom  the 
woman  was  in  close  fellowship. 

"8  The  beast  that  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not; 
and  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  go 
into  perdition :  and  they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall 
wonder,  whose  names  were  not  written  in  the  book 


138 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  they 
behold  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is." 
The  words  "the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet 
is,"  have  given  rise  to  much  speculation,  but  in  fact 
the  solution  is  easy  enough,  for  the  key  is  in  chapter 
13:  2,  and  in  the  words:  "and  the  dragon  gave  him 
his  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority."  The 
real  seat  of  the  dragon  is  in  hell.  That  seat  he  did  not 
relinquish,  nor  any  power  peculiar  to  his  own  proper 
place.  Verse  8  of  the  present  chapter  refers  to  the 
Dragon's  dominion  and  seat  in  the  abode  of  men. 
It  is  as  if  a  king  should  choose  a  temporary  regent. 
Then  it  could  be  said  that  as  a  sovereign  he  was,  but 
now  is  not,  and  yet  is,  for  he  upholds  the  regent  and 
can  at  any  time  thrust  him  aside  and  resume  his 
rightful  place.  John's  play  on  words  is  to  emphasize 
the  fact  that  never  before  was  the  dragon  so  nearly 
personified  as  he  would  be  at  the  time  indicated. 

"And  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  and 
go  into  perdition:"  includes  in  its  meaning  those 
characteristics  of  the  regent  which  are  derived  from 
hell.  When  the  regent — the  scarlet  beast — goes  into 
perdition,  then  his  followers  everywhere,  those  who 
hung  upon  his  words  and  paid  him  all  reverence,  will 
wonder  at  him  as  unmasked  before  their  opened  eyes. 

"9  And  here  is  the  mind  which  hath  wisdom. 
The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the 
woman  sitteth."  The  opening  sentence  is  a  dark 
saying  like  the  words:  "Here  is  wisdom,"  in  chapter 
13:  18,  and  like  the  words:  "He  that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear"  which  concludes  each  of  the  seven  addresses 
to  the  seven  churches  in  Asia.  The  seven  mountains 
are  seven  kingdoms,  each  of  which  is  guilty  of  some 


139 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

or  even  all  of  the  seven  deadly  sins,  to  wit:  luxury, 
wrath,  idleness,  envy,  avarice,  gluttony,  and  worldly 
pride. 

"10  And  there  are  seven  kings:  five  are  fallen, 
and  one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come;  and  when 
he  cometh,  he  must  continue  a  short  space."  The 
prophecy  first  indicates  five  great  dynasties  whose 
representative  kings  had  departed  before  the  days 
of  John.  Much  speculation  concerning  these  kings 
and  kingdoms  has  proved  wide  of  the  mark,  and  no 
wonder  for  the  zodiacal  key  is  the  only  one  which 
can  unlock  the  mystery  of  their  time  and  reign. 
Each  of  these  dynasties  flourished  during  the  passage 
of  the  sun  through  the  major  portion  of  a  zodiacal 
sign  in  the  equinoctial  procession. 

The  sixth  king  or  kingdom,  under  Pisces,  was  the 
Roman  Empire,  which,  as  a  nation,  came  into  promi- 
nence about  600  B.C.,  and  ended  with  the  fall  of 
Constantinople  in  1453  A.  D.  The  fifth  kingdom, 
under  Aries,  was  Israel,  which  attained  to  some  impor- 
tance about  1800  B.  C,  and  ceased  with  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem  in  70  A.  D.  The  fourth  kingdom,  under 
Taurus,  was  Babylonia,  originating  at  least  4000  B.C., 
and  virtually  ending  with  the  death  of  Alexander.  The 
third  kingdom,  under  Gemini,  was  Egypt  whose 
history  is  traceable  beyond  the  year  5000  B.C.  The 
second  kingdom,  under  Cancer,  8900  B.  C,  was  one  of 
those  prehistoric  civilizations  concerning  which  the 
Secret  Science  of  the  Initiates  has  revealed  much. 
The  first  kingdom  flourished  under  Leo  at  least  11,100 
B.C.,  and  was  ruled  by  the  last  of  the  Atlantean  kings, 
the  remnant  of  whose  land  sunk  many  thousand  years 
before  Plato   in   that  cataclysm  which   the   account 


140 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

in  Genesis,  makes  the  Noahic  Deluge.  The  seventh 
king,  or  kingdom,  the  one  to  come,  is  now  here  and 
must  endure  for  a  short  space,  but  just  how  long 
the  seventh  seal,  and  trumpet,  and  vial  will  reveal. 

"11  And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even  he  is 
the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdi- 
tion." In  respect  to  this  one,  evidently  he  is  the 
world  beast  who,  acting  for  the  dragon,  is  the  beast 
that  was  and  is  not.  "And  is  of  the  seven."  The 
dragon  is  of  himself,  but  the  world  beast  has  grown 
and  matured  during  and  because  of  the  reign  of  the 
seven  kings.  The  dragon  goes  into  perdition  after  the 
second  judgment,  but  the  beast  and  Antichrist  after 
the  first  judgment.     See  20:  10  and  19:  20. 

"12  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten 
kings,  which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet;  but 
receive  power  as  kings  one  hour  with  the  beast."  It 
would  seem  that  after  the  rule  of  the  seventh  king, 
which  is  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  that  the  beast  will 
begin  a  reign  which  is  no  reign  since  it  means  lawless- 
ness and  chaotic  conditions.  Then  the  ten  kings — 
who  are  no  more  kingly  than  is  the  beast — are  to 
represent  ten  factions ;  evidently  those  ten  evils  which 
are  the  fulness  of  hellish  conditions.  This  for  one 
zodiacal  hour,  or  about  ninety  days. 

"13  These  have  one  mind,  and  shall  give  their 
power  and  strength  unto  the  beast."  Notwith- 
standing the  chaotic  conditions  above  mentioned, 
there  is  an  inward  conformity  among  the  ten  since 
they  hate  what  the  beast  hates,  and  love  what  he 
loves,  and  this  is  power  and  strength  to  him. 

"14  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and 
the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them:  for  he  is  Lord  of 


141 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

lords,  and  King  of  kings:  and  they  that  are  with  him 
are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful."  See  I  Tim.  6 :  15. 
Whether  these  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb  as  a 
visible  presence,  or  as  an  unstayable  force  making  for 
their  complete  overthrow,  is  left  open.  See  19:  11-20. 
In  deciding  the  question,  one  should  bear  in  mind  that 
Revelation  is  an  Eastern  book  which  treats  matters 
and  things  largely  though  not  wholly  in  a  symbolical 
way.  As  explained  in  a  preceding  chapter:  "Lord  of 
lords,  and  King  of  kings:"  refers  to  sovereignty  over 
this  world,  and  not  to  universal  dominion.  The 
chosen  and  faithful  are  perhaps  embodied  men  in 
actual  battle. 

"15  And  he  said  unto  me:  The  waters  which  thou 
sawest,  where  the  harlot  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and 
multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues."  The  writer 
has  in  mind  the  symbolical  Euphrates  which  brings 
only  harm  to  the  peoples  ruled  by  the  symbolical 
Babylon.  The  figure  is  suggestive  of  the  contrast 
presented  by  the  heavenly  Euphrates,  that  bringer 
of  blessings  to  the  four  corners  of  the  earth. 

"16  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon 
the  beast,  these  shall  hate  the  harlot,  and  shall  make 
her  desolate,  and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and 
burn  her  with  fire."  In  a  way  the  ten  horns  resemble 
the  ten  plagues  brought  upon  Egypt;  only  now  there 
is  no  Moses  to  call  off^  the  ten  plagues  brought  upon 
itself  by  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist.  In  her  days  of 
prosperity  the  ten  kings  were  with  the  harlot,  but 
because  of  her  reverses  which  involved  them,  they 
revenge  their  loss  in  the  manner  symbolically 
described.  Thus,  to  burn  her  with  fire  is  to  turn 
furiously  upon  her.   To  make  her  naked  is  to  commit 


142 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

every  vandalism;  and  to  eat  her  flesh  is  to  rend  and 
dismember,  and  disintegrate  her  kingdom. 

"17  For  God  hath  put  it  in  their  hearts  to  fulfill 
his  will  and  to  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom  unto 
the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  shall  be  fulfilled." 
The  verse  expresses  the  truth  that  oftentimes  evil 
men  do  of  their  own  free  will,  and  so  without  exten- 
uation, that  which  God  intended  toward  those  who 
had  broken  his  law.  Giving  their  kingdom  unto  the 
world  beast  means  that  the  ten  evil  kings  will 
unconsciously  work  a  destruction  which  includes  the 
harlot,  and  the  beast,  and  themselves  also.  The 
words  of  God,  as  meant  in  this  verse,  concern  the 
fate  of  Babylon  as  told  in  the  next  chapter. 

"18  And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that 
great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the 
earth."  The  verse  is  to  the  effect  that  Babylon  is 
the  molder  of  the  opinions  and  the  fosterer  of  those 
vices  whose  like  have  long  enslaved  the  world. 


143 


Chapter  XVIII 

AND  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel 
come  down  from  heaven,  having  great  power; 
and  the  earth  was  Hghtened  with  his  glory." 
This  angel  is  Michael,  prince  of  the  heavenly  host 
that  fought  against  Babylon  even  to  her  destruction. 

"2  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice, 
saying:  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is 
become  the  habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every 
foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful 
bird."  Michael  announces  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecies  found  in  Isaiah,  11th,  13th,  and  14th 
chapters  wherein  Babylon,  Assyria,  Egypt,  and  such 
names  are  but  symbols  of  nations  and  peoples  of  this 
twentieth  century.  The  saying  of  Isaiah:  "And 
Babylon  the  glory  of  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the 
Chaldees'  excellency,  shall  be  as  when  God  over- 
threw Sodom  and  Gomorrah,"  were  in  the  mind  of 
the  Revelator  when  he  put  into  the  mouth  of  the 
archangel  the  words  of  this  verse  of  the  18th  chapter. 

To  become  the  habitation  of  devils  is  to  be  unin- 
habitable by  normal  men.  By  every  foul  spirit  is 
meant  bandits  and  murderers  and  other  outcasts. 
The  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird  is  the 
rendezvous  of  such  creatures  as  those  mentioned. 
Concerning  the  condition  of  Babylon,  Isaiah  saith: 
"The  cormorant  and  the  bittern  shall  possess  it;  the 
owl  also  and  the  raven  shall  dwell  in  it  *  *  *  * 
and  it  shall  be  an  habitation  of  dragons,  and  a  court 
for  owls." 

"3  For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the 


144 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth 
have  committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the  mer- 
chants of  the  earth  are  waxed  rich  through  the 
abundance  of  her  delicacies."  The  verse  contains 
little  not  already  declared  in  chapter  17:2.  "The 
abundance  of  her  delicacies"  gives  the  idea  of  luxu- 
rious living  which  is  one  of  the  deadly  sins. 

"4  And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven, 
saying:  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not 
partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her 
plagues."  See  Jer.  50:8.  The  voice  is  that  of  the 
Lamb.  That  Revelation  is  no  mere  drama  of  initia- 
tion into  the  Greek  mysteries  is  proved  by  the  fact 
that  many  sayings,  scattered  through  the  twenty- two 
chapters,  are  variants  of  originals  found  in  Isaiah, 
Ezekiel,  Jeremiah,  and  others  of  the  Hebrew  prophets. 
Thus  Jer.  51 :  45,  "  My  people,  go  ye  out  of  the  midst 
of  her,  and  deliver  ye  every  man  his  soul  from  the 
fierce  anger  of  the  Lord." 

"5  For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and 
God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities."  The  verse 
states  what  every  great  religion  of  the  world  teaches, 
that  sin  and  punishment  are  inseparably  joined 
together.  That  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven 
means  that  they  have  attained  all  possible  limit  in 
quality  and  quantity,  and  that  the  action  of  the 
retributive  Power  is  called  into  being. 

"6  Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and 
double  unto  her  double  according  to  her  works:  in 
the  cup  which  she  hath  filled  fill  to  her  double." 
Exact  justice  would  seem  to  require  only  the  equali- 
zation of  the  debt  due  the  law,  but  when  the  trans- 
gressor in  some  way  delays  or  obstructs  the  law,  then. 


145 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

like  the  dammed  waters  of  a  river,  retribution  bursts 
through  in  an  over-whelming  flood.  The  idea  of 
doubling  either  good  or  evil  recompense  occurs  quite 
often  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures. 

"7  How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself,  and  lived 
deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her: 
for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no 
widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow."  Again  we  have  the 
idea  of  luxury  and  its  requital;  and  besides  the  idea 
of  self-glorification  and  arrogant  pride,  another  of 
the  deadly  sins.  The  queen  that  knows  not  of  her 
coming  widowhood,  and  laughs  at  the  thought  of 
sorrow,  had  been  described  by  Isaiah  in  these  words: 
"I  am,  and  none  else  beside  me;  I  shall  not  sit  as  a 
widow,  neither  shall  I  know  the  loss  of  children." 

"8  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one  day, 
death,  and  mourning,  and  famine;  and  she  shall  be 
utterly  burned  with  fire:  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God 
who  judgeth  her."  Of  this  matter  Isaiah  saith: 
"  But  these  two  things  shall  come  to  her  in  a  moment, 
in  one  day,  the  loss  of  children  and  widowhood." 
In  Revelation  one  day  usually  means  six  years,  but 
Isaiah's  coupling  of  a  moment  and  a  day  would 
indicate  for  the  modern  Babylon  a  period  much 
shorter  than  six  years.  The  burning  with  fire  was  the 
deed  of  the  ten  kings;  see  17:  16. 

"9  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  have  com- 
mitted fornication  and  lived  deliciously  with  her, 
shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her,  when  they  shall 
see  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  10  Standing  afar  oflF 
for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying:  Alas,  alas  that 
great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city!  for  in  one 
hour   is   thy   judgment   come."      The  judgment  of 

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THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

Babylon  foretold  by  the  Hebrew  prophets,  is  to 
occur  when  the  mystic  Euphrates  shall  be  dried  up 
that  the  Lord  may  gather  the  remnant  of  his  people 
from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  as  described  in 
Isa.  11:15:  "And  the  Lord  shall  utterly  destroy 
the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian  sea  *  *  *  and  make 
men  go  over  dry-shod."  The  one  hour  mentioned 
should  be  about  ninety  days.  That  the  kings  of  the 
earth  stand  afar  off  to  witness  the  fate  of  Babylon 
means  that  its  downfall  shall  be  felt  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth. 

"11  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep 
and  mourn  over  her;  for  no  man  buyeth  their  mer- 
chandise any  more:  12  The  merchandise  of  gold, 
and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and  of  pearls,  and 
fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and  scarlet,  and  all 
thyine  wood,  and  all  manner  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all 
manner  vessels  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass, 
and  iron,  and  marble,  13  And  cinnamon,  and  odors, 
and  ointments,  and  frankincense,  and  wine,  and  oil, 
and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and 
horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and  souls  of  men." 

The  Revelator's  description  of  the  luxury  of  Baby- 
lon is  in  line  with  Jeremiah's  utterance  against  ancient 
Tyre.  Through  his  doctrine  of  correspondences, 
Swedenborg  would  discover  a  special  meaning  in 
every  item  of  such  verses  as  those  just  given;  but 
endeavoring  to  prove  too  much  he  weakens  his  case, 
for  the  impartial  reader  ere  long  discovers  the  strained 
and  the  artificial  in  the  Swedish  seer's  over-applica- 
tion of  his  principles. 

"14  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusteth  after  are 
departed  from  thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty 


147 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

and  goodly  are  departed  from  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
find  them  no  more  at  all."  In  verses  12  and  13  were 
enumerated  the  "fruits"  which  ministered  to  the 
sumptuous  living  of  the  queen,  and  many  others 
might  be  named.  It  is  a  habit  of  a  certain  class  of 
critics  to  read  into  an  author  meanings  of  which  he 
little  dreamed.  We  would  consider  the  contents  of 
verses  12  and  13  only  as  a  list  of  luxuries;  those  which 
the  soul  of  Babylon,  in  other  words  her  entire  being, 
lusted  after.  These  dainty  and  goodly  things  are 
gone  never  to  be  enjoyed  again. 

"15  The  merchants  of  these  things,  which  were 
made  rich  by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off  for  the  fear  of 
her  torment,  weeping  and  wailing,  16  And  saying, 
Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  that  was  clothed  in  fine 
linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold, 
and  precious  stones,  and  pearls!"  These  merchants 
are  the  people  affiliated  with  Babylon  while  living 
outside  her  borders.  These  indeed  escape  her  destruc- 
tion, but  are  punished  by  intolerable  sorrow  because 
of  her  fate.  In  the  mind  of  the  Revelator  the  doomed 
city  is  like  unto  that  of  which  Isaiah  said:  "Who 
hath  taken  this  counsel  against  Tyre,  the  crowning 
city,  whose  merchants  are  princes,  whose  traffickers 
are  the  honorable  of  the  earth?" 

"17  For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to 
naught.  And  every  ship-master,  and  all  the  company 
in  ships,  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade  by  sea, 
stood  afar  off."  Here  also  Babylon  is  likened  to  Tyre 
concerning  whom:  "Howl  ye  ships  of  Tarshish  for  it 
is  laid  waste." 

"18  And  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her 
burning,  saying:  What  city  is  like  unto  this  great 


148 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

city!  19  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and 
cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying:  Alas,  alas  that 
great  city,  wherein  were  made  rich  all  that  had  ships 
in  the  sea  by  reason  of  her  costliness!  For  in  one 
hour  is  she  made  desolate." 

In  a  like  lamentation  over  Tyre,  Ezekiel  says:  "And 
all  that  handle  the  oar,  the  mariners,  and  all  the  pilots 
of  the  sea,  shall  come  down  from  their  ships — and 
shall  cry  bitterly,  and  shall  cast  up  dust  upon  their 
heads,  they  shall  wallow  themselves  in  the  ashes — and 
lament  over  these  sayings:  'What  city  is  like  Tyrus, 
like  the  destroyed  in  the  midst  of  the  sea !  When  thy 
wares  went  forth  out  of  the  sea,  thou  filledst  many 
people;  thou  didst  enrich  the  kings  of  the  earth 
with  the  multitude  of  thy  riches  and  of  thy  merchan- 
dise.' " 

"20  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy 
apostles  and  prophets;  for  God  hath  avenged  you 
upon  her."  This  verse  is  a  sequel  to  the  words  in 
chapter  6:  10,  "And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice 
saying:  How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou 
not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth?" 

"21  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a 
great  millstone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying: 
Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be 
thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all." 
The  angel  is  Michael  who  in  verse  2  announced  the 
fall  of  Babylon.  The  verse  is  a  reminder  of  Jeremiah 
51:63  and  64,  "And  it  shall  be,  when  thou  hast 
made  an  end  of  reading  this  book,  that  thou  shalt 
bind  a  stone  to  it,  and  cast  it  into  the  midst  of 
Euphrates:  And  thou  shalt  say,  Thus  shall  Babylon 


149 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

sink,  and  shall  not  rise  from  the  evil  that  I  will  bring 
upon  her." 

"22  And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians,  and 
of  pipers,  and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard  no  more 
at  all  in  thee;  and  no  craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft 
he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee;  and  the 
sound  of  a  millstone  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in 
thee. "  Of  the  judgment  at  the  end  of  the  age  Isaiah 
saith:  "The  mirth  of  tabrets  ceaseth,  the  noise  of 
them  that  rejoice  endeth,  the  joy  of  the  harp  ceaseth. " 
Concerning  the  saying:  "and  no  craftsman  of  what- 
soever craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee;" 
Swedenborg  says  that  it  signifies  that  no  more  wis- 
dom, intelligence,  and  knowledge  shall  be  found  in 
Babylon.  The  explanation  seems  reasonable,  and 
we  willingly  acquiesce,  but  at  the  same  time  contend 
that  a  literal  explanation  is  also  proper. 

"  23  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no  more 
at  all  in  thee;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and 
of  the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee :  for 
thy  merchants  were  the  great  men  of  the  earth;  for 
by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived."  By  the 
absence  of  the  light  of  a  candle  is  meant  spiritual 
darkness,  as  well  as  the  night  gloom  of  a  ruined  and 
deserted  city.  Telling  of  the  restitution  of  Jerusalem, 
Jeremiah  said  that  again  would  be  heard  in  that 
place:  "The  voice  of  joy  and  the  voice  of  gladness, 
the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  the  voice  of  the 
bride."  Elsewhere  Jeremiah  speaks  not  unlike  John 
when  he  is  denouncing  the  modern  Babylon:  "Then 
will  I  cause  to  cease  from  the  cities  of  Judah,  and 
from  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  the  voice  of  mirth,  and 
the  voice  of  gladness,  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom 


ISO 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

and  the  voice  of  the  bride,  for  the  land  shall  be 
desolate."  In  another  chapter  John  compares  the 
new  Jerusalem  to  a  bride  prepared  for  her  husband, 
but  the  ceasing  of  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  the 
bride  from  Babylon  indicates  conditions  which  are  the 
antithesis  of  those  in  the  Holy  City  to  be. 

In  the  23rd  verse,  sorceries  that  would  deceive  all 
nations  mean  cunning  methods  of  ensnaring,  for 
instance,  that  spoken  of  by  Daniel:  "And  in  the  lat- 
ter times  of  their  kingdom,  when  the  transgressors  are 
come  to  the  full,  a  king  of  fierce  countenance  and 
understanding  dark  sentences,  shall  stand  up  *  *  *  * 
And  through  his  policy  also  he  shall  cause  craft  to 
prosper  in  his  hand ;  and  he  shall  magnify  himself  in 
his  heart,  and  by  peace  shall  destroy  many;  he  shall 
also  stand  up  against  the  Prince  of  princes;  but  he 
shall  be  broken  without  hand." 

"  24  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and 
of  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth." 
As  all  roads  led  to  Rome,  so  all  iniquities  converge 
to  Babylon  as  a  common  center.  As  already  said,  this 
Babylon  is  not  only  ancient  Rome,  but  also  the  modern 
kingdom  of  which  Rome  was  the  prototype.  In  chapter 
17: 6,  is  written:  "And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with 
the  blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus: "but  in  the  present  verse  the  king- 
dom of  Antichrist  is  deemed  guilty  of  the  blood  of 
all  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth.  Adequate  expla- 
nation of  this  accusation  requires  not  only  the  reincar- 
nation of  Roman  cruelty  as  suggested  in  the  explana- 
tion of  chapter  17:6,  but  even  the  reincarnation  of 
Nero,  Domitian,  and  in  fact  many  more  of  those  whose 
brutality  has  made  them  the  loathed  of  all  subsequent 
times. 

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Chapter  XIX 

AND  after  these  things  I  heard  a  great  voice 
of  much  people  in  heaven  saying,  Alleluia; 
Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor,  and  power, 
unto  the  Lord  our  God."  As  we  have  before  said, 
the  scheme  of  Revelation  allows  interpolated  pas- 
sages, and  even  entire  chapters.  Because  of  this 
peculiarity,  certain  commentators  have  declared  the 
book  to  be  a  piecing  together  of  writings  made  at 
different  times  by  one  author,  or  perhaps  by  a  number 
of  authors.  We  contend  for  a  book  wholly  written  at 
one  time,  and  in  a  way  to  serve  several  purposes,  one 
of  which  was  to  mystify  the  superficial  reader  and 
hold  the  unprepared  from  the  real  meaning  of  Revela- 
tion until  the  time  of  the  fulfillment  of  its  prophecies. 
The  song  of  praise  beginning  with  this  first  verse, 
opens  nearly  like  that  in  chapter  4:11,  "Thou  art 
worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and 
power." 

"2  For  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments:  for 
he  hath  judged  the  great  harlot,  which  did  corrupt 
the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the 
blood  of  his  servants  at  her  hand."  The  avenging  is 
that  called  for  in  chapter  6:  10.  The  words:  "hath 
avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants"  are  much  like  a 
passage  in  the  song  of  Moses  wherein  the  Lord 
declares  that  he  will  avenge  the  blood  of  his  servants. 
See  Deut.  32:43. 

"3  And  again  they  said  Alleluia.  And  her  smoke 
rose  up  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages."  See  Isa.  34: 10. 
Alleluia  is  Hallelu-Jah;  praise  ye  Jah. 


152 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"4  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four 
beasts  fell  down  and  worshipped  God  that  sat  on  the 
throne,  saying,  Amen:  Alleluia."  The  beasts  and  the 
elders  were  first  mentioned  in  chapter  4,  where  the 
drama  of  Revelation  really  began,  and  now  again  they 
occur  at  the  approach  of  the  millennial  period.  The 
words  "Amen;  Alleluia,"  mean  praise  to  Jehovah  that 
was  and  is  and  is  to  come.  The  word  Jehovah  is  not 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  outside  of  this  chapter  the 
word  Alleluia  is  not  found  there. 

"5  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying: 
Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear 
him,  both  small  and  great."  The  voice  is  that  of 
Michael  who  throughout  the  drama  speaks  from  the 
throne,  because  he  symbolizes  the  Sun  the  center  of 
the  planetary  spheres  of  which  the  angels  of  the 
Sephiroth  are  rulers.  The  words  "small "  and  "  great " 
have  respect  to  differences  and  ranks  not  only  among 
men,  but  also  among  the  angels  of  heaven. 

"6  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great 
multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as 
the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alleluia: 
for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reigneth."  In  chapter 
14:2,  the  angelic  song  was:  "as  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder;"  but 
now  is  heard  the  very  climax  of  praise  from  the  entire 
heavens  which  John  the  Gnostic  no  doubt  deemed 
seven-fold,  but  which  Paul  condensed  into  the  first, 
second,  and  third  heaven. 

"7  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to 
him:  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his 
wife  hath  made  herself  ready."  See  II  Cor.  11:2. 
This  verse  contains  the  earliest  hint  of  the  millennial 


153 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

era  which  the  fall  of  Babylon  and  the  first  Judgment 
are  to  usher  in.  The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  the 
reign  of  Christ  in  the  regenerate  world;  but  whether 
that  reign  is  to  be  in  person,  or  in  spirit,  is  with  many 
a  debatable  matter.  Our  contention  is  that  the 
tenor  of  the  chapters  and  verses  which  treat  of 
Christ's  second  coming,  whether  they  are  found  in 
Revelation,  or  whether  they  embody  the  sayings  of 
the  Master  himself,  would  indicate  the  corporeal 
presence  of  the  Lord :  but  in  respect  to  the  nature  of 
the  visible  body  of  the  king,  that  is  a  mystery  con- 
cerning which  all  scripture  is  silent. 

"8  And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be 
arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white:  for  the  fine 
linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints."  The  fine  linen, 
clean  and  white,  symbolizes  the  kingdom  of  the  saints 
which  may  have  or  may  not  have  a  central  city. 
The  new  Jerusalem  could  be  the  purified  earth,  or 
some  particular  locality  therein.  That  the  bride  is 
to  be  arrayed  as  described,  signifies  that  purity  shall 
distinguish  the  new  Jerusalem  above  every  city  that 
the  world  before  had  held. 

"9  And  he  saith  unto  me:  Write,  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb.  And  he  saith  unto  me:  These  are  the  true 
sayings  of  God."  Those  who  are  called  unto  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  are  the  ones  who  have 
come  worthily  through  the  troublesome  times  cul- 
minating in  the  great  battle  of  Armageddon  which 
includes  many  minor  conflicts  preparatory  to  one 
great  decisive  day.  Blessing  upon  the  worthy  is 
assured  by  the  word  of  God. 

"10  And  I  fell  at  his  feet  to  worship  him.     And 


154 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

he  said  unto  me :  See  thou  do  it  not :  I  am  thy  fellow- 
servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  testimony 
of  Jesus :  worship  God :  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is 
the  spirit  of  prophecy."  See  chapter  22:  8,  9.  The 
angel  guide  is  no  less  than  Gabriel  who  in  true  humility 
calls  himself  John's  fellow-servant,  a  prophet  of  the 
line.  Nevertheless  Gabriel  is  the  chief  of  prophets, 
for  he  stands  in  the  presence  of  God  and  reflects  the 
Divine  Mind.  "And  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the 
testimony  of  Jesus:"  refers  to  the  brotherhood  of 
angels  and  of  men  who  acknowledge  Jesus  the  Christ 
in  his  true  relation  to  this  world.  The  command 
"Worship  God:"  means  that  John  should  worship  the 
Ruler  of  all  worlds,  rather  than  him  who  rules  only 
this  world.  "For  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit 
of  prophecy,"  means  that  the  truth,  as  announced  by 
Jesus,  is  in  accord  with  the  utterances  of  the  Hebrew 
prophets,  or,  for  that  matter,  with  all  prophecy  which 
is  God-inspired. 

"11  And  I  saw  heaven  open,  and  behold  a  white 
horse;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful 
and  True,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and 
make  war."  In  a  consecutive  narrative,  this  verse 
would  follow  chapter  16:  16,  but,  as  before  said,  it 
was  for  a  specific  purpose  that  John  adopted  the 
peculiar  arrangement  of  Revelation.  The  wondrous 
happenings  when  the  seventh  vial  was  poured  into 
the  air,  rather  than  upon  the  earth,  are  now  to  be 
depicted  in  the  second  half  of  chapter  19. 

"And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white 
horse;"  indicates  a  spectacle  in  the  sky.  Though  not 
the  one  mentioned  in  chapter  6:2,  this  white  horse 
also  indicates  spiritual  authority.    Before  John's  day 


155 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  author  of  the  book  of  Daniel  had  written:  "And 
at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people."  Now 
it  appears  that  one  more  closely  related  to  this  earth 
than  Michael  could  be,  is  the  rightful  principle  in  the 
great  scene  to  be  enacted  in  the  drama  of  Revela- 
tion. The  one  called  "Faithful  and  True,"  is  of 
course  he  who  said  unto  Thomas:  "I  am  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life."  "In  righteousness  he  doth 
judge  and  make  war."  In  Isa.  11:41,  it  is  written: 
"But  with  righteousness  shall  he  judge  the  poor 
*  *  *  *  he  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of 
his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall  he 
slay  the  wicked." 

"12  His  eyes  were  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head 
were  many  crowns;  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that 
no  man  knew,  but  he  himself."  In  the  description  of 
the  Son  of  man,  chapter  1:14,  we  read  that  "his 
eyes  were  a  flame  of  fire."  "And  on  his  head  were 
many  crowns;"  signifies  that  he  is  king  over  all  the 
sovereigns  of  the  earth.  The  name:  "that  no  man 
knew  but  he  himself,"  is  not  to  be  revealed  until  after 
the  seventh  plague  is  fulfilled.  See  chapter  15:8. 
No  doubt  his  name  would  indicate  definitely  the  place 
of  Messiah  in  the  cosmic  scheme. 

"13  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in 
blood :  and  his  name  is  called  The  Word  of  God."  In 
speaking  mystically  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty, 
Isaiah  said:  "Wherefore  art  thou  red  in  thine  apparel, 
and  thy  garments  like  him  that  treadeth  the  wine- 
fat?"  In  the  present  verse  the  red  garment  signifies 
the  blood  of  the  slain.  In  the  Ancient  Mysteries  it 
was  taught  that  every  man  is  the  Word  made  flesh 

156 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

but,  according  to  the  individual,  the  manifestation 
of  the  Word  varies.  Therefore  the  name  of  Messiah 
would  really  be  The  Supreme  Word  of  God.  In  this 
connection,  the  Word  indicates  power. 

"14  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed 
him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white 
and  clean."  The  description  indicates  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  attainments,  each  angel  was  like  unto  the 
leader.  That  the  heavenly  host  were  white  and 
clean  means  that,  even  as  Isaiah  had  prophesied, 
Messiah  treads  alone  the  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of 
God.  The  host  of  his  followers  only  look  on  the 
carnage. 

"15  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword, 
that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations :  and  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  he  treadeth  the 
wine-press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty 
God."  The  sword  is  the  one  mentioned  in  chapter 
1:16.  In  Isa.  11:4,  this  sword  is  called:  "the  rod 
of  his  mouth,"  but  whether  sword  or  rod,  it  is  no 
doubt  the  mysterious  energy  which  the  Hindoos  call 
Kundalini.  This  force  is  the  basic  energy  of  life, 
and  for  him  who  is  its  master  it  can  both  create  and 
destroy.  That  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron 
was  foretold  in  chapter  12:5,  the  little  understood 
chapter  which  symbolizes  the  second  coming  of 
Christ.  That  he  treadeth  the  wine-press  has  already 
been  explained. 

"16  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a 
name  written,  KING  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF 
LORDS."  These  words  from  Isaiah  are  written  on 
the  vesture  of  Messiah  because  it  bears  the  san- 
guinary evidence  of  his  victory.     The  words  are  also 


157 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

written  on  his  thigh  because  he  treads  the  wine-press. 

"17  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun;  and 
he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all  the  fowls  that 
fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come  and  gather  your- 
selves together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God." 
See  Ezek.  34:  17,  18.  The  angel  is  Michael  the 
regent  of  the  solar  sphere.  The  marriage  supper  of 
the  Lamb  was  a  feast  of  spiritual  blessings  to  which 
the  worthy  were  asked;  whereas  the  supper  of  the 
great  God,  in  fact  the  judgment  supper,  is  that  of 
carrion,  the  very  antithesis  of  the  other. 

"  18  That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the 
flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and 
the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and 
the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  great 
and  small."  "That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings." 
Far  from  being  asked  to  the  supper,  the  kings  and 
great  ones,  even  as  their  beasts,  are  to  be  eaten  by 
the  scavengers  of  the  skies.  A  satire  on  pride  and 
worldiness,  the  verse  gives  hope  that  in  the  new  order 
of  ages  such  sins  will  be  a  stench  in  the  nostrils  of  men. 

"19  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make 
war  against  him  that  sat  on  the  horse,  and  against 
his  army.  See  chapter  16:  16.  The  statement  is 
general  rather  than  sp)ecific.  It  is  unreasonable  to 
assume  that  all  kings  whatsoever  and  their  followers 
are  with  the  beast.  If  this  were  so,  then  would  the 
human  race  prove  a  failure,  and  none  would  be  worthy 
to  partake  of  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  No 
doubt  certain  great  armies  and  their  kings  and 
leaders  are  those  indicated  as  gathered  to  make  war 
against  Messiah. 

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THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"20  And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the 
false  prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with 
which  he  deceived  them  that  received  the  mark  of 
the  beast,  and  them  that  worshipped  his  image. 
These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning 
with  brimstone."  As  we  made  evident  in  dealing 
with  chapter  13:  1,  2,  the  beast  is  the  evil  existing  in 
the  world  as  a  whole.  The  false  prophet  is  Anti- 
christ that  wrought  miracles  before  him.  This  was 
explained  in  chapter  13.  The  fate  of  both  the  beast 
and  Antichrist  was  foretold  in  chapter  7  of  the  alle- 
gorical book  of  Daniel. 

"21  And  the  remnant  was  slain  with  the  sword  of 
him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which  sword  proceeded 
out  of  his  mouth:  and  all  the  fowls  were  filled  with 
their  flesh."  In  this  verse  is  found  the  consumma- 
tion of  things  prepared  for  in  verses  15,  17,  and  18. 

At  the  beginning  of  certain  world  cycles  the  human 
race  is  decimated  through  war,  earthquake,  tidal 
waves,  famine,  and  pestilence.  All  this  that  a  new  race 
with  a  new  outlook  may  be  brought  forth,  the  rem- 
nant of  the  old  being  the  progenitors  of  the  new ;  thus 
fulfilling  the  command  given  to  Noah  and  his  sons: 
"Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth." 
The  only  historic  cataclysm  was  known  as  the  Deluge, 
that  which  occurred  at  the  close  of  the  Atlantean 
epoch.  In  the  fall  of  Babylon,  Revelation  treats  of 
the  one  to  come.  The  Ancient  Arcane  Science 
teaches  of  periodical  cataclysms  both  watery  and 
fiery.  These  occur  alternately;  hence  the  fiery  out- 
burst is  next  in  order. 


159 


Chapter  XX 

THIS  chapter  has  proved  a  veritable  stumbling- 
block  to  commentators,  and  so  it  is  not 
strange  that  many  fantastic  beliefs  have 
been  tortured  from  its  contents.  In  John's  day  the 
doctrine  of  re-birth  was  held,  not  only  beyond  the 
bounds  of  Jewry,  but  also  by  many  thinkers  within 
her  borders.  The  rationale  of  the  doctrine  was 
taught  in  the  philosophic  schools  of  Plato,  Pythag- 
oras and  others,  while  among  the  Gnostics — with 
whom  we  believe  John  to  have  been  affiliated — it  was 
a  central  tenet  derived  no  doubt  from  the  mysteries 
as  taught  in  the  secret  initiations  of  Egypt,  India, 
and  Greece. 

In  the  chapter  before  us,  re-birth  is  taken  for 
granted  even  as  in  certain  portions  of  the  four  gospels; 
and  it  is  indispensable  to  a  correct  explanation  of 
the  mystery  veiled  in  the  fifteen  verses  which  now 
require  elucidation.  * 

"And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven 
having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great 
chain  in  his  hand."  Often  this  verse  has  received  a 
literal  rendering;  in  support  of  which  can  be  quoted 
the  words  of  chapter  1:  18:  "I  am  alive  for  evermore, 
Amen;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death."  We 
deem  the  language  of  the  verse  we  are  considering  to 
be  allegorical,  and  for  reasons  which  will  be  set  forth. 

"2  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  ser- 
pent, which  is  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him 
a  thousand  years,  3  And  cast  him  into  the  bottom- 
less pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him, 


160 


THE   REVELATION   OF   JOHN 

that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the 
thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled:  and  after  that  he 
must  be  loosed  a  little  season."  See  Matt.  24:  24. 
With  John  the  Arch-fiend  is  a  being  real  as  are  the 
archangels,  and  we  hold  his  position  to  be  a  logical 
one.  In  other  respects,  a  literal  interpretation  of 
verses  2  and  3  is  absurd.  Why  should  Satan  be 
bound  for  a  season  and  then  be  loosed  to  work  ven- 
geance upon  mankind?  In  truth  Satan  is  bound  only 
by  the  chain  of  enforced  idleness,  and  for  what  is  here 
called  a  Millennium. 

Employing  the  Zodiacal  key,  we  unlock  the  mys- 
tery of  the  millennial  years,  and  discover  that  the 
entrance  of  the  Sun  into  Capricornus,  a  little  over 
two  thousand  years  hence,  will  indicate  the  time  of 
Satan's  release  for  a  little  season.  That  Satan  is  to 
be  absolutely  inactive  during  the  nineteen  hundred 
or  more  years  of  his  so-called  chaining  should  not  be 
taken  literally.  With  ages  of  hereditary  behind 
them,  men  cannot  be  changed  radically  in  a  month, 
or  a  year,  or  even  a  century;  still  wonderful  improve- 
ment will  be  brought  about  by  means  which  Divine 
Wisdom  has  provided.  A  certain  teaching  is  in  sub- 
stance this:  Because  of  unsuitable  environments 
resulting  from  the  presence  and  permeating  influence 
of  the  world-beast,  of  which  the  kingdom  of  Anti- 
christ is  the  essence  and  he  the  quintessence,  thous- 
ands of  great  souls  have  for  centuries  been  held  back 
from  re-birth.  To  preserve  the  equilibrium  of  the 
moral  world,  certain  great  ones — and  a  much  larger 
number  of  lesser  calibre  and  attainments — have  at  all 
times  been  drawn  into  physical  life  by  those  supreme 
Intelligences  whose  office  it  is  to  regulate  the  repro- 


161 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

duction  of  the  race,  and  thus  to  maintain  its  possible 
standards. 

The  overthrow  of  the  beast  and  his  prophet  will 
clear  the  moral  atmosphere,  and  makes  it  breatheable 
by  the  greatest  among  the  world's  discarnate  host 
whose  total  is  said  to  be  many  billions  of  egos.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  the  discarnate  man  of  evil  deeds 
would  return  —  and  it  is  a  teaching  that  souls  return 
not  through  compulsion,  but  through  free  will  —  then, 
because  of  the  much  purer  conditions  existing  through- 
out the  earth  during  the  millennial  period,  that  soul 
will  find  little  to  attract  it  to  the  earth  life ;  in  other 
words,  the  strands  which  somehow  bind  and  draw 
that  soul  to  the  physical  plane  will  fail  to  exert 
their  accustomed  power.  However,  the  time  cometh 
when  that  soul  shall  be  drawn  back  to  the  world. 
The  return  of  such  in  large  numbers  would  give 
employment  to  the  Evil  One,  and,  because  of  this,  it 
might  then  be  said  of  him  that  he  is  released  from  his 
prison,  or,  in  fact,  from  his  enforced  term  of  idleness. 

"4  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them, 
and  judgment  was  given  unto  them:  and  I  saw  the 
souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of 
Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not 
worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had 
received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  nor  in  their 
hands;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a 
thousand  years."  See  Dan.  7:9,  also  I  Cor.  6:2. 
Jesus  said:  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  which 
have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son 
of  man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also 
shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel." 


162 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

It  is  taught  that  Jesus  chose  for  his  diciples  men 
who  corresponded  with  the  twelve  zodiacal  signs.  It 
is  also  taught  that  the  twelve  powers  symbolized  by 
these  signs  are  the  administrators  of  the  law  to  this 
earth  as  well  as  to  many  others.  Because  of  their 
fitness,  the  twelve  disciples  are  to  be  exalted  to  a 
position  comparable  with  that  of  certain  adminis- 
trators of  the  zodiacal  law  to  our  world.  The 
"beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word 
of  God,"  are  a  type  of  all  the  faithful  unto  death  in 
any  great  cause  which  harmonizes  with  the  teachings 
of  the  Master.  Evidently  none  of  these  have  wor- 
shipped the  beast,  or  his  Antichrist;  nor  have  they 
received  the  dooming  mark. 

"And  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  for  a 
thousand  years."  Many  believe  that  under  the 
dispensation  treated  in  the  first  six  verses  of  the 
chapter,  the  lives  of  the  saints  will  rival  that  of 
Methuselah.  This  belief  is  against  reason  unless 
one  admit  the  possibility  of  some  miraculous  change 
in  the  constitution  and  functions  of  the  human  body. 
Now  in  fact  the  verse  requires  no  such  change.  That 
the  saints  should  reign  with  Christ  for  a  thousand 
years  demands  no  longer  life  for  the  individual  than 
is  implied  in  the  statement  that  the  Romans  lived, 
and  ruled  their  possessions  for  a  thousand  years  and 
more. 

The  words:  "reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand 
years,"  together  with  the  vivid  descriptions  of  what 
followed  the  seven  seals  and  trumpets  and  vials,  have 
led  many  to  imagine  that  Christ  would  be  present 
visibly  on  the  new  earth  throughout  the  millennial 
period.     The  farewell  words  of  Jesus  to  his  disciples: 


163 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world,"  is  true  both  figuratively  and  literally;  there- 
fore we  hold  that  in  a  degree  never  before  equalled, 
the  saints  shall  be  aware  of  his  ever-presence  because 
they  live  wholly  in  conformity  with  his  law.  Of  that 
latter  time  Ezekiel  wrote:  "And  David  my  servant 
shall  be  king  over  them  and  they  all  shall  have  one 
shepherd." 

"5  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until 
the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first 
resurrection."  During  "the  thousand  years"  if  only 
the  martyrs  and  the  most  saintly  are  to  people  the 
globe,  then  for  that  period  must  vast  numbers  of 
progressive  egos  be  debarred  from  necessary  earth 
experiences.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have  reasoned 
that  some  day  the  evil  souls  are  to  come  again  into 
re-birth.  See  comment  on  verse  3.  The  verses  from 
the  seventh  to  the  fifteenth  inclusive  show  beyond 
question  that  the  world  remains  material  enough  for 
Satan's  purposes  after  his  release. 

In  explaining  the  first  sentence  of  verse  5,  it  should 
be  said  that  no  doubt  it  is  a  comment  because  not 
found  in  the  earliest  manuscripts;  hence  latitude  should 
be  given  its  meaning.  Otherwise  it  is  unreasonable, 
and  a  source  of  narrow  notions  touching  the  elect. 
"This  is  the  first  resurrection."  To  live  again  upon 
this  earth  as  verse  8  proves  it  to  be,  even  at  the 
close  of  the  thousand  year  resurrection  period,  one 
must  pass  through  the  gates  of  re-birth;  and  yet  to 
live  there  during  that  period  is  to  have  part  in  the 
first  resurrection. 

"6  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the 
first  resurrection:  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 


164 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years."  A  part 
of  the  verse  points  to  the  general  judgment  due  at 
the  end  of  the  Millennium:  at  that  time  the  wicked 
are  to  be  born  again. 

This  judgment  is  not  the  first  meted  to  the  wicked 
multitude,  for  in  the  days  of  Noah  the  waters  covered 
them  all,  and,  in  an  earlier  age,  the  expulsion  from 
Eden  was  a  minor  judgment  upon  a  race  not  yet 
evolved  to  definite  ideas  of  right  and  wrong.  Each 
judgment  succeeding  the  first  in  the  series  is  more 
severe  than  its  predecessor,  and  for  the  reason  that, 
with  growing  intellect,  evil  men  sin  more  and  more 
wilfully  against  the  Light.  The  second  death  will  be 
explained  as  we  proceed.  The  "priests  of  God  and 
of  Christ,"  will  have  various  duties  before  unknown 
to  the  sacerdotal  office,  for  unless  the  physical  world 
is  to  be  wholly  unlike  what  now  it  is,  many  indis- 
pensable material  tasks  will  demand  their  attention. 

"7  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  expired, 
Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison."  In  the  third 
verse  it  is  written  that  he  must  be  loosed  for  a  little 
season.  In  comparison  with  long  periods  of  time,  a 
hundred  years  or  more,  and  even  two  hundred  years, 

ay  be  called  a  little  season. 
8  And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which 
are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog, 
to  gather  them  together  for  battle:  the  number  of 
whom  is  as  the  sands  of  the  sea."  For  Gog  and 
Magog  to  become  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the  sea 
would  require  the  longest  term  mentioned  in  the 
comment  on  verse  7.  In  describing  God's  future 
judgment  upon  Gog  and  Magog,  Ezekiel  gives  his 


r 


I 


165 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

message  a  Jewish  coloring;  thus  to  him  the  chosen 
people  were  the  ones  warred  against  in  the  valley  of 
Hamon-gog;  but  notwithstanding  the  signs  and  won- 
ders to  be  wrought  by  the  Lord  upon  his  enemies,  the 
old  world  is  to  abide,  for  the  prophecy  adds  that: 
"seven  months  shall  the  house  of  Israel  be  burying 
of  them,  that  they  may  cleanse  the  land."  Magog 
was  the  grandson  of  Noah,  and  his  evil  descendants 
who  shall  be  gathered  to  battle,  are  presumably  the 
reincarnation  of  certain  among  the  multitudes 
drowned  in  the  Deluge;  a  judgment  which  was  final 
only  for  the  vilest  contemporaries  of  Noah. 

"9  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth, 
and  compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and 
the  beloved  city:  and  fire  came  down  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  and  devoured  them."  The  beloved  city 
is  of  course  the  new  Jerusalem.  The  Revelator's 
descriptions  of  battles  are  very  brief,  particularly  so 
this  description;  one  almost  lacking  in  particulars, 
since  only  a  fragment  of  a  sentence  is  granted  to  what 
surely  is  the  last  and  greatest  and  most  far-reaching 
conflict  that  a  war-wearied  world  shall  be  compelled 
to  endure.  As  for  details,  Ezekiel  is  more  explicit 
albeit  he  gives  the  prophecy  a  Jewish  setting:  "And 
thou  shalt  come  up  against  my  people  of  Israel,  as  a 
cloud  to  cover  the  land ;  it  shall  be  in  the  latter  days, 
and  I  will  bring  thee  against  my  land,  ***** 
Surely  in  that  day  there  shall  be  a  great  shaking  in 
the  land  of  Israel;  So  that  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and 
the  fowls  of  the  heavens,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
and  all  creeping  things  that  creep  upon  the  earth, 
and  all  the  men  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth, 
shall  shake  at  my  presence,  and  the  mountains  shall 

166 


I 


THE    REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

be  thrown  down,  and  the  steep  places  shall  fall,  and 
every  wall  shall  fall  to  the  ground  *  *  *  * 
And  I  will  plead  against  him  with  pestilence  and  with 
blood ;  and  I  will  rain  upon  him,  and  upon  his  bands, 
and  upon  the  many  people  that  are  with  him,  an 
overflowing  rain,  and  great  hailstones,  fire,  and 
brimstone." 

"10  And  the  devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast 
and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be  tormented 
day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever."  See  chapter  19:  20. 
The  verse  makes  plain  that,  among  the  armies  of  Gog 
and  Magog,  Antichrist  is  not  present  in  any  capacity. 
Those  informed  in  respect  to  the  seven-fold  constitu- 
tion of  our  globe  will  understand  that  he  is  in  that 
place  of  debasement  known  as  the  eighth  sphere;  a 
globe  condition  from  which  there  is  no  rise  into 
re-birth.  As  for  the  Arch-fiend,  once  he  sinks  deep 
into  that  sphere,  he  cannot  emerge  to  trouble  the 
race  of  men. 

The  eighth  sphere  is  that  of  men  who  have  fallen 
below  the  human,  but  not  quite  to  the  brute  level; 
hence  there  exists  upon  the  earth  no  type  of  body, 
human  or  animal,  to  which  they  can  conform.  This 
condition  is  that  of  the  second  death  in  which  these 
unfortunates  must  await  the  birth  of  a  new  planet 
and  there  take  their  chance  on  some  low  rung  of  the 
evolutionary  ladder.  The  spirits  in  prison,  to  whom 
Christ  brought  some  word  of  hope,  were  probably 
of  this  class.  Concerning  Satan,  for  ages  he  has  led 
a  vampire  life  upon  the  mental  and  moral  fiber  of  his 
victims.  Deprived  of  this  ghoulish  sustenance,  he 
becomes  impotent  chiefly  through  loss  of  his  mentality. 


I 


167 


THE   REVELATION   OF  JOHN 

"11  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that 
sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven 
fled  away;  and  there  was  no  place  for  them."  See 
Pet.  3:7.  This  is  the  Great  Judgment  under  the 
sign  Capricornus,  at  which  time  the  goats  are  to  be 
separated  finally  from  the  sheep.  This  last  of  the 
four  judgments  is  the  only  one  final  for  a  multitude 
of  beings.  For  all  save  Antichrist,  condemned  at 
the  advent  of  Aquarius-Leo,  and  those  whose  accum- 
ulated iniquities  approached  his  own,  an  opportunity 
to  save  themselves  yet  remained.  The  great  white 
throne,  of  which  the  Sun  is  the  symbol,  signifies  that 
height  of  spiritual  vision  from  which  all  world  hap- 
penings are  beheld,  so  that  impartial  Justice  shall  be 
rendered  to  the  doers  of  good  and  of  evil. 

The  words:  "from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the 
heaven  fled  away,"  is  one  of  many  sayings  tending 
to  show  that  periodical  cataclysms  accompany  the 
periodical  judgments  of  the  human  race.  Speaking 
of  the  flood,  the  Apostle  Peter  says:  "the  world  that 
then  was,  being  overflowed  with  water  perished." 
Immediately  he  adds:  "But  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  which  are  now,  by  the  same  word  are  kept  in 
store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment, 
and  perdition  of  ungodly  men."  From  Peter's  lan- 
guage which,  if  taken  literally,  contains  a  contradic- 
tion— since  the  world  did  not  perish — we  argue  that 
the  words  of  the  Revelator  touching  the  fate  of  the 
earth  and  the  heavens  would  not  indicate  their  dis- 
solution, but,  at  most,  some  radical  change  in  the 
configuration  of  the  terraqueous  globe. 

"12  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand 
before  God ;  and  the  books  were  opened :  and  another 


168 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life;  and  the 
dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were 
written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works.  See 
II  Cor.  5:10.  In  Dan.  10:4,  the  book  containing 
the  prophecy  of  what  is  generally  deemed  the  events 
connected  with  the  last  Judgment,  is  shut  and 
sealed  until  the  opening  of  the  books  seen  by  the 
Revelator. 

As  instanced  by  the  flood,  the  physical  earth 
experiences  the  outward  results  of  a  judgment,  but 
the  essentials  of  every  judgment  occur  in  the  super- 
physical  world,  and  its  vital  effect  is  upon  the  dis- 
embodied. Swedenborg  believed  that  in  the  spiritual 
world  a  judgment  occurred  just  prior  to  the  inception 
of  the  earthly  church  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  In 
respect  to  the  opened  books,  it  is  well  known  to  cer- 
tain students  of  the  occult  that  the  seven-fold  aura 
surrounding  every  being  contains  the  record  of  all 
his  deeds.  This  aura  is  his  individual  book  of  judg- 
ment, comprising  seven  volumes.  The  eighth  book 
is  the  synthetic  book  of  life,  to  be  explained. 

"13  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it; 
and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were 
in  them:  and  they  were  judged  every  man  according 
to  his  works."  See  Dan.  12:  2.  By  the  sea  is  here 
meant  that  intermediate  condition  of  the  disembodied 
which  corresponds  with  the  purgatory  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church.  By  death  and  hell  are  meant  those 
upper  strata  of  the  eighth  sphere  which  as  yet  are  not 
wholly  doomed.  That  these  were  adjudged  evil  would 
appear  from  the  statement  of  the  next  verse. 

"  14  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire.     This  is  the  second  death."     To  swine  the  filth 


169 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

in  which  they  wallow  is  no  uncleanness;  likewise  to 
those  who  merit  death  and  hell,  their  condition 
therein,  though  fiery  to  the  observer,  is  not  neces- 
sarily so  to  them.  Hence  it  is  the  fate  of  those  who 
suffer  the  second  death,  not  to  realize  that  they  are 
dead  to  every  possibility  of  rise  during  the  life  period 
of  this  planet.  "And  whosoever  was  not  found  writ- 
ten in  the  book  of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." 
The  seven-fold  human  aura,  in  other  words  man's 
individual  judgment  book  in  seven  volumes,  derives 
peculiar  significance  from  the  purity  or  impurity  of 
the  seven  spectrum  colors,  one  of  which  is  proper  to 
each  volume.  Thus,  in  the  red  division  of  the  seven- 
fold aura  of  the  man  of  purified  passions,  that  color 
has  evolved  to  a  delicate  shade  of  rose,  or  lilac  pink; 
whereas  in  the  corresponding  auric  division  of  the 
sensualist,  the  red  has  become  dull  and  heavy. 

A  greyish  hue,  permeating  one  or  more  divisions  of 
the  human  aura,  denotes  entire  lack  of  spirituality; 
while  ultra-marine,  and  indigo,  and  golden  yellow, 
when  resplendent  in  their  divisions,  signify  lofty 
ideals  wholly  realized.  To  the  Revelator  the  golden 
and  the  extremes  of  blue,  together  with  the  perfected 
violet,  red,  green,  and  orange,  constituted  the  book 
of  life,  for  these  are  the  infallible  evidences  of  great 
thoughts,  words,  and  actions  which  no  hypocrite  can 
simulate.  On  the  other  hand,  the  heavy,  clouded, 
and  ill-looking  aura  is  of  itself  condemnatory,  and 
truly  may  be  called  the  book  of  death. 


170 


Chapter  XXI 

AND  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  for 
the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were 
passed  away;  and  there  was  no  more  sea." 
See  Isa.  65:17.  Because  of  the  metaphorical  lan- 
guage wherewith  both  prophets  and  apostles  have 
described  the  state  of  the  earth  and  the  heavens  after 
the  last  Judgment,  it  would  seem  unwise  to  attempt 
any  specific  statements  concerning  conditions  at  that 
remote  time.  Peter  speaks  of  "the  coming  of  the 
day  of  God,  wherein  the  heavens  being  on  fire  shall 
be  dissolved,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fer- 
vent heat."  ^  Immediately  he  continues :  "  Nevertheless 
we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 

From  passages  of  like  tenor  scattered  throughout 
the  biblical  books,  it  would  seem  that  many  inspired 
teachers,  including  the  Master  himself,  foretold  a 
veritable  cataclysm  due  at  the  time  indicated  in 
chapter  20,  beginning  with  the  ninth  verse.  Evidently 
they  foretold  an  earlier  cataclysm  due  at  the  fall  of 
the  mystic  Babylon. 

The  Ancient  Arcane  Science,  always  known  to  the 
few,  but  now  accessible  to  quite  a  body  of  students, 
treats  of  cataclysms  which,  while  sinking  certain 
continents,  at  about  the  same  time  uplifted  others. 
Thus  when  Lemuria  vanished  beneath  the  waves  of 
the  Pacific,  Atlantis  appeared  in  the  Western  Ocean. 
Of  these  lost  continents  it  was  taught  that  each  in  its 
appointed  cycle  would  rise  again;  Lemuria  first,  and 
afterward    Atlantis;    but    the    re-birth    of    Lemuria 


171 


THE   RE\^LATION  OF  JOHN 

means  the  disappearance  of  one  of  the  historic  con- 
tinents and  the  extinction  of  its  civilization.  From 
this  fact  it  might  be  argued  that  the  words:  "there 
was  no  more  sea,"  meant  to  John  that  some  large 
body  of  water  had  been  displaced  by  dry  land. 

"2  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city  new  Jerusalem, 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a 
bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  See  Isa.  52:  1,  also 
Gal.  4:  26.  Chapter  19:  8,  states  definitely  that  "the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath 
made  herself  ready."  This  should  be  just  after  the 
fall  of  Babylon  under  the  sign  Aquarius.  Again  in 
chapter  20:9,  it  is  said  in  respect  to  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, that  her  foes  "compassed  the  camp  of  the 
saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city."  But  how  can 
these  things  be  reconciled  with  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  City  at  a  much  later  period,  unless  here  John 
would  convey  the  thought  that  the  New  Jerusalem 
had  now  taken  on  a  splendor  which,  compared  with 
its  former  condition,  amounted  to  a  veritable  re-birth? 
Moreover  the  descriptions  that  follow  demand  for 
their  fulfillment  some  radical  change  in  the  nature  of 
the  earth. 

In  the  comment  on  chapter  11:2,  the  doctrine  of 
the  Tetrad  was  revealed.  John  the  Initiate  may 
have  held  that  after  the  Second  Judgment  the  puri- 
fied world,  throughout  certain  areas  of  its  surface, 
would  reveal  >  uncovered  portions  of  that  true  earth 
the  double  pyr«!t\iiid:  in  other  words,  some  continental 
division  would  be  uplifted  so  that  the  sacred  moun- 
tain of  Isaiah,  that  Eden  of  the  Adamic  race,  could 
become  the  ideal  habitation  of  the  saints. 

"  3  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying: 


172 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people, 
and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
God."  See  Lev.  26:  11,  also  Ezek.  37:  27.  Ever  the 
tabernacle  of  God  was  with  devout  men  ages  before 
its  outward  correspondent  was  built  by  the  wander- 
ing Israelites.  As  a  movable  temple,  this  tabernacle 
indicated  that  God  could  not  be  confined  to  localities, 
whereas  the  fate  of  the  fixed  temples  of  Solomon  and 
of  Herod  demonstrated  that  in  the  midst  of  a  froward 
people,  the  most  imposing  structure  shall  retain  no 
indication  of  the  Divine  favor.  The  teaching  of  the 
verse  is  that  in  the  New  Jerusalem  the  like  cannot  occur. 

"4  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow, 
nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain:  for 
the  former  things  are  passed  away."  See  Isa.  35:  10. 
Touching  the  ideal  conditions  to  which  the  verse 
looks  forward,  Paul  had  already  written:  "Then 
cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the 
kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father;  when  he  shall 
have  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power. 
For  he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet.  .  The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  overcome  is 
death."  Evidently  the  real  Millennium  is  that  in 
which  there  is  neither  death,  as  we  understand  it, 
nor  sorrow,  nor  crying.  Messiah's  rule  is  over  the 
earth,  but  since  God  is  over  all  worlds,  Messiah 
reigns  by  his  permission.  Christ's  acknowledgment 
of  this  in  the  hour  of  his  triumph  is  what  Paul  calls 
delivering  up  the  kingdom  to  God  the  Father. 

"5  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said.  Behold 
I  make  all  things  new.     And  he  said  unto  me.  Write: 


173 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

for  these  words  are  true  and  faithful."  He  that  sat 
upon  the  throne  is  the  Father:  see  chapter  4:  2,  3. 
Prophesying  of  this  new  era  of  the  world,  Isaiah,  as 
the  mouth-piece  of  God,  said:  "For,  behold,  I  create 
new  heavens  and  a  new  earth;  and  the  former  shall 
not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind." 

"And  he  said  unto  me,  Write:  for  these  words  are 
true  and  faithful."  Revelation  contains  more  than 
one  solemn  assurance  of  the  truth  of  its  foretellings, 
thus  the  first  and  second  verses  of  chapter  1,  and  the 
sixth  verse  of  the  closing  chapter. 

"6  And  he  said  unto  me.  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end.  I  will  give 
unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the  water 
of  life  freely."  All  ancient  alphabets  derived  the 
form  of  their  every  letter  from  a  zodiacal  constella- 
tion, or  some  other  star  cluster,  and  these  letters 
were  sacred  to  them.  The  Hebrew  and  the  Greek 
letters  are  modifications  of  older  ones;  therefore  the 
Greek  Alpha  and  Omega  have  an  esoteric  relation  to 
the  star-groups  from  first  to  last.  The  meaning  of 
Alpha  and  Omega  really  is:  I  am  the  total  of  the 
heavenly  hosts.     See  chapter  1 :  8. 

"I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain 
of  the  water  of  life  freely."  Foretelling  that  golden 
time  which,  according  to  Revelation,  will  come  after 
the  pouring  of  the  seventh  vial,  Isaiah  said:  "There- 
fore with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  well  of 
salvation."  Concerning  that  well  Jesus  said:  "If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink." 

"7  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things; 
and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son."  To 
inherit  all  things  is  "to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which 


174 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God."  Paul  truly 
says  that  to  be  a  son  of  God  is  to  be  a  joint  heir  with 
Christ.  This  mutual  heirship  makes  Christ  man's 
elder  brother,  but  does  not  give  him  supreme  place 
in  the  universe. 

"8  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abomi- 
nable, and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sor- 
cerers, and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part 
in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone: 
which  is  the  second  death."  See  I  Cor.  6:  9,  10;  also 
Eph.  5:5.  Swedenborg  would  have  explained  these 
offences  as  against  the  Lord  and  his  church;  thus 
adultery  and  fornication  would  mean  to  falsify  the 
truth  of  the  Word,  while  murder  would  mean  to  be 
rashly  incensed  against  the  Lord,  and  even  to  be 
desirous  of  blotting  out  his  name.  We  hold  that  the 
eight  classes  of  crime  enumerated  in  the  verse,  some 
of  which  are  named  by  Paul,  are  literal  offences 
against  the  laws  of  God,  and  in  fact  conducive  to 
that  debased  condition  which  the  Revelator  calls 
the  second  death. 

"9  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  seven  angels 
which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven  last 
plagues,  and  talked  with  me,  saying,  Come  hither,  I 
will  show  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife."  The 
angel  is  Gabriel  who  was  sent  to  enlighten  John 
even  as,  according  to  Moslem  belief,  he  enlightened 
Mahomet,  and  dictated  to  the  Prophet  the  sacred 
volume  of  the  Koran. 

"10  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a 
great  and  high  mountain,  and  showed  me  that  great 
city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven 
from  God."     The  great  and  high  mountain  is  the 


175 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


C^Mr^ 


northern  point  of  the  Tetrad  -  or  double  pyramid. 
The  ancient  teaching  is  that  this  was  the  primal 
Eden,  but,  because  of  a  cataclysm  accompanied  by 
great  climatic  changes,  the  original  habitat  of  man 
has  for  ages  been  hidden  under  the  frozen  Polar  seas. 
The  teaching  adds  that  at  some  remote  period  the 
imperishable  Sacred  Land  shall  be  restored,  and  the 
new  Eden  shall  be  the  abode  of  the  evolved  Adamic 
race. 

"11  Having  the  glory  of  God;  and  her  light  was 
like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper 
stone,  clear  as  crystal;"  the  stone  is  the  diamond, 
or,  more  likely,  the  opal,  for,  as  later  verses  show, 
the  city  was  envelopad-in. -the  colore- of  the  -prism. 
That  this  aura  is  around  objects,  as  well  as  men  and 
animals,  will  appear  when  mankind  develops  ability 
to  see  beyond  the  violet  of  the  spectrum.  The  verse 
pre-supposes  that  ability  in  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Holy  City. 

"12  And  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names 
written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel."  The  wall  is  the 
radient  aura  of  the  city.  That  the  tenor  of  the  verse 
and  those  to  follow  is  astrological  is  quite  evident,  for 
the  city  is  likened  to  man  into  whom  the  twelve 
zodiacal  powers  radiate  their  influence  by  means  of 
the  twelve  gates  of  his  body.  To  make  the  chapter 
less  openly  astrological,  it  is  given  a  Jewish  coloring 
by  substituting  for  the  names  of  the  zodiacal  con- 
stellations those  of  the  twelve  tribes.  The  angels 
themselves  are  however  the  personified  powers  of 
the  Zodiac. 


176 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

"13  On  the  east  three  gates;  on  the  north  three 
gates ;  on  the  south  three  gates ;  and  on  the  west  three 
gates."  The  eastern  gates  are  Capricornus,  Aquarius, 
and  Pisces.  The  northern  gates  are  Aries,  Taurus,  and 
Gemini.  The  southern  gates  are  Libra,  Scorpio, 
and  Sagitarius.,  The  western  gates  are  Cancer,  Leo, 
and  Virgo. 

"14  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  founda- 
tions, and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles 
of  the  Lamb."  John  may  have  had  in  mind  the 
saying  of  Paul  that  the  faithful  "are  built  upon  the 
foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,"  neverthe- 
less the  twelve  foundations  of  the  walls  of  the  city 
corresponded  with  the  twelve  constellations.  The 
names  of  the  apostles  engraved  on  these  foundations 
show  that  each  apostle  corresponded  with  a  zodiacal 
group. 

"15  And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a  golden 
reed  to  measure  the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof,  and 
the  wall  thereof."  Zechariah  saw  in  a  vision  a  man 
with  a  measuring  line  to  measure  Jerusalem,  but  the 
new  Jerusalem  is  measured  more  fitly  with  a  golden 
measuring  stick. 

"16  And  the  city  lieth  foursquare,  and  the  length 
is  as  large  as  the  breadth:  and  he  measured  the  city 
with  the  reed,  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  The  length 
and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal." 
Evidently  the  city  is  a  cube,  and  the  cube  is  the 
Tetrad  •  or  double  pyiamid.  From  this  it  would 
appear  that  in  shape  the  city  is  like  that  greater 
Tetrad  the  purified  earth. 

The  words  "twelve  thousand  furlongs"  reveal 
nothing  of  the  city's  dimensions.     They  are  used  for 


177 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

a  different  purpose  as  will  be  explained.  12  is  the 
zodiacal  number,  and  the  city  is  a  cube  having  six 
sides  each  twelve  thousand  furlongs  in  length,  as  also 
in  breadth.  If  the  city  were  wholly  measured,  the 
total  length  covered  by  the  golden  reed  would  be  one 
hundred  forty  and  four  thousand  furlongs.  This  total 
is  an  esoteric  way  of  indicating  that  the  city  is 
adapted  to  the  one  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand 
saints.  Also  this  total  length  indicates  that  from 
every  point  of  view  the  city  is  under  the  protection 
of  the  twelve  zodiacal  hierarchies. 

In  chapter  14  the  one  hundred  forty  and  four 
thousand  were  seen  standing  on  Mount  Zion;  where- 
as now  they  are  to  stand  on  the  purified  earth;  for 
heaven,  under  the  name  of  New  Jerusalem,  has 
descended  to  the  abode  of  men.  This  fact  is  in 
conformity  with  an  ancient  secret  teaching;  one 
probably  known  to  John,  the  Initiate.  The  teaching 
is  in  substance  that  every  world  contains  its  own 
heaven  and  its  own  hell.  The  teaching  further 
reveals  that  the  hell  of  this  earth  shall  eventually  be 
cast  out  as  a  dead  planet  which,  like  the  moon,  will 
contain  only  the  coarse  material  atoms,  whereas  the 
finer  material  particles  are  to  shape  themselves  into 
the  lowest  division  of  the  new  earth  which,  for  aeons, 
is  to  be  the  home  of  the  all  but.perfected  human  race. 

"17  And  he  measured  the  wall  thereof,  an  hundred 
and  forty  and  four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure 
of  a  man,  that  is,  of  the  angel."  The  cubit  is  not  a 
defined  measure;  the  Jewish  cubit  may  be  eighteen 
or  twenty-two  inches.  In  any  case  the  height  of  the 
wall  could  have  been  only  a  little  over  two  hundred 
and  forty  feet,  although  the  height  of  the  city  was 


178 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

said  to  be  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  In  the  present 
verse,  as  in  the  preceding,  the  measurement  given  is 
only  for  enlightenment  concerning  another  matter. 

In  John's  day  the  wall  of  a  city  was  its  chief  defense ; 
hence  to  intimate  that  the  city  is  protected  by  the 
twelve  zodiacal  powers — each  of  which  is  divisible 
into  twelve  minor  powers — the  height  of  the  wall 
was  given  as  one  hundred  and  forty-four  cubits,  a 
reasonable  height,  and  therefore  satisfactory  to  the 
surface  reader,  while  at  the  same  time  revealing  the 
truth  to  the  real  investigator. 

This  interpretation  contains  the  key  to  the 
remainder  of  the  verse.  One  hundred  and  forty- 
four  is  the  number  of  a  perfected  man,  and  so  of  an 
angel,  because,  like  the  Holy  City,  these  are  under 
the  protection  and  guidance  of  every  aspect  of  the 
zodiacal  powers.  Hence  for  the  word  "measure"  in 
the  verse,  the  word  "number"  should  be  substituted. 

"18  And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of 
jasper:  and  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear 
glass."  As  already  stated,  jasper  here  is  undoubtedly 
the  irridescent  opal.  Gold  is  the  metal  sacred  to  the 
Sun,  but  this  gold  is  transparent  as  glass.  The 
matter  hinted  at  can  now  be  understood  much  better 
than  before  the  discovery  of  the  X-ray.  The  gold 
is  transparent  because  of  the  evolved  organs  of  sight 
proper  to  the  humanity  of  future  ages.  When 
purified,  even  as  this  earth  is  to  be,  every  planet 
shall  have  its  characteristic  color:  thus  for  Jupiter, 
light  blue;  for  Mercury,  yellow;  for  Venus,  indigo; 
for  Saturn,  green;  for  Mars,  red;  while  for  the  per- 
fected invisible  Luna  planet,  violet  is  already  attained. 
Evidently  orange  is  the  color  proper  to  the  perfected 


179 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

earth,  which  color  was  its  own  until  the  fall  of  man 
into  dense  material  conditions.  The  pure  gold  of 
the  New  Jerusalem  is  the  prevailing  and  permeating 
orange,  minus  the  brown  and  coarse  slag  from  which 
somehow  the  gold  shall  separate  itself. 

"  19  And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city- 
were  garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones. 
The  first  foundation  was  jasper;  the  second,  sapphire; 
the  third,  a  chalcedony;  the  fourth,  an  emerald;  20 
the  fifth,  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh, 
chrysolyte;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  a  topaz;  the 
tenth,  a  chrysoprasus ;  the  eleventh,   a  jacinth;   the 
twelfth,  an  amethyst."     See  Isa.  54:  11,  12. 
,        These  twelve  precious  stones  correspond  occultly 
i    with    the    twelve  zodiacal  powers,    and  as    follows: 
the   many-colored   opal   with   Aries;   the   rich    blue 
j    sapphire  with  Pisces;  the  blue-grey  chalcedony  with 
Aquarius ;  the  bluish-green  emerald  with  Capricornus ; 
the   red   sardonyx  with   Sagitarius;   the   bright   red 
sardius  with  Scorpio;  the  yellowish-green  chrysolite 
with  Libra ;  the  yellow  beryl  with  Virgo ;  the  greenish- 
yellow  chrysoprasus  with  Cancer;  the  azure  jacinth 
with  Gemini;  and  the  violet  amethyst  with  Taurus. 
"21  And    the   twelve   gates   were   twelve   pearls; 
every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl :  and  the  street  of 
the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass." 
The  twelve  gates  are  of  pearly  hue  because  through 
^^^1  them  radiates  the  white  light,  the  synthesis  of  the 
.\  __'  spectrum  colors  which  are  upon  the  city  walls.    The 
street  of  a  city  is  its  least  honorable  part,  hence  to 
emphasize  the  glory  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  John  says 
that  its  street  was  pure  gold. 

"22  And  I  saw  no  temple   therein:  for  the  Lord 

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THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it." 
The  verse  pre-supposes  a  condition  of  the  human 
family  immeasureably  beyond  that  of  the  foremost 
races  living  to-day.  Considering  the  ages  of  ancestry 
behind  those  races,  it  may  with  reason  be  said  that 
nothing  short  of  the  miraculous  could  make  true  the 
Revela tor's  words  unless,  as  we  contend,  the  chapter 
as  a  whole  contains  the  outcome  only,  and  is  silent 
concerning  the  ages  necessary  to  the  absolute  consum- 
mation. When  God  is  deemed  afar  off,  the  temple 
is  the  place  wherein  he  seems  to  draw  near  his  children ; 
but  when  his  nearness  is  fully  realized,  and  almost 
seen,  then  the  temple  becomes  obsolete. 

"23  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither 
of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it:  for  the  glory  of  God  did 
lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."     Much  . 
of  this  had  been  foretold  in  Isa.  24:  23,  also  in  60:  19.  j  < 
It  is  taught  by  certain  wise  ones    that  the  Sun  is  r^ 
seven-fold,  and  that  the  physical  sun,  that  to  which  1 
John  refers,  is  a  veil  between  man  and  the  true  light.  \ 
The  glory  of  God  is  that  brightness  which  Sweden-  j 
borg  called  the  spiritual  Sun.     It  is  a  brightness  visible 
to  angels,  and  eventually  to  be  seen  of  angelic  men. 
Swedenborg  says  that  oftentimes  the  angels  behold  in 
the  midst  of  the  spiritual  sun  the  figure  of  a  Lamb. 

"24  And  the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it:  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  do  bring  their  glory  and  honor  into  it." 
Prophesying  of  that  Zion  which  is  to  be,  Isaiah  said : 
"And  the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings 
to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising."  The  nations  men- 
tioned by  John  are  those  of  the  post-millennial  period. 
Presumably  these  all  are  saved,  or  at  least  well  on 


181 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

the  way  to  salvation.  In  the  verse  the  word  "kings" 
has  a  wide  meaning  which  includes  the  pre-eminent 
in  every  important  field  of  human  activity. 

"25  And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by 
day:  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there."  Literally, 
the  Holy  City  shall  have  neither  gates  nor  walls. 
Its  enveloping  aura  is  a  sure  defense.  The  twelve 
gates  sacred  to  the  zodiacal  powers  are  the  avenues 
through  which  only  those  beings  shall  be  admitted 
whose  individual  auras  shall  resemble  that  of  the 
city.  Since  the  sun's  light  is  ever  upon  the  earth, 
though  shut  out  during  certain  hours  of  the  twenty- 
four  because  of  the  earth's  axial  rotation,  it  is  obvious 
that  if  the  earth  were  transparent  to  the  observer, 
there  would  be  no  night,  but  in  its  place  an  agreeable 
twilight. 

"26  And  they  shall  bring  the  glory  and  honor  of 
the  nations  into  it."  Every  excellence  which  the 
nations  have  evolved  in  their  individual  components, 
or  have  perfected  through  the  work  of  human  hands 
and  brains,  is  here  indicated. 

"27  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any- 
thing that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh 
abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie:  but  they  which  are 
written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life."  See  Dan.  12:  L 
In  the  great  sifting  known  as  the  Second  Judgment, 
the  evils  mentioned  have  disappeared  in  what  the 
Revelator  calls  the  second  death. 

Certain  commentators  regard  verses  24-27  as  an 
abandonment  of  the  idea  of  a  heavenly  Jerusalem 
for  an  earthly  one;  whereas,  we  have  endeavored  to 
show  that  the  earthly  city  is  indicated  both  in  19:  7, 
and  in  21:2,  10. 


182 


Chapter  XXII 

AND  he  showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life, 
clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb."  See  Ezek.  14:  8. 
This  river,  which  Ezekiel  saw  flowing  from  under  the 
threshold  of  the  temple,  is  synonymous  with  what 
Eastern  philosophy  names  the  Great  Breath,  in 
other  words,  the  vital  life  principle;  that  which  the 
Lord  God  breathed  into  Adam.  This  life  principle 
proceeds  from  the  Spiritual  Sun  of  our  planetary 
system  which  here  is  called  the  throne  of  God.  The 
throne  of  the  Lamb,  which  is  the  spiritual  center  of 
the  earth,  receives  the  Great  Breath,  and  transmits  it 
not  only  to  man,  but  to  every  breathing  thing  in 
earth,  water,  and  air. 

"2  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either 
side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare 
twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month :  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations."  As  in  chapter  2:7,  so  here,  the 
expression  "tree  of  Hfe"  is  a  figure  of  speech.  This 
tree  is  a  zodiacal  tree,  and  its  twelve  manner  of 
fruits  are  the  twelve  zodiacal  influences,  each  of 
which  descends  when  in  its  month  the  Sun  enters 
the  sign  proper  thereto.  The  tree  of  life  exists  on 
the  earth  to-day,  but  its  spiritual  fruits  are  few 
indeed,  for  gross  material  conditions  are  most  unfav- 
orable to  its  bearing. 

Only  the  world  tree,  yielding  twelve  kinds  of  fruit, 
one  kind  every  two  thousand  years,  is  really 
acclimated  and  productive.     The  fruits  of  this  tree 


183 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

are  given  to  us  through  those  world  teachers  whose 
line  began  in  pre-historic  times,  and  whose  last  and 
greatest  representative  was  known  as  Jesus,  the 
Christ.  The  leaves  of  the  world  tree  are  the  applica- 
tion of  the  spiritual  truths  revealed  by  these  leaders; 
but  because  in  the  course  of  centuries  truth  becomes 
perverted  and  ineffectual,  the  leaves  may  be  said  to 
wither  and  die.  Under  the  new  order  of  things,  all 
spiritual  truths  are  to  remain  fresh  as  when  delivered, 
and  so  the  leaves  of  the  zodiacal  tree  will  always  be 
for  the  healing,  or,  more  precisely,  the  preservation 
of  the  nations. 

"3  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse:  but  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it ;  and  his 
servants  shall  serve  him."  Zechariah  says  of  Jeru- 
salem that  in  it  "there  shall  be  no  more  utter  destruc- 
tion." The  promise  that  the  throne  of  God  shall  be 
in  the  Holy  City  must  not  be  taken  literally.  Where- 
soever the  imminence  of  God  is  wholly  believed  in, 
and  his  service  worthily  performed,  there  his  omni- 
present throne  will  seem  to  be.  In  respect  to  this 
planet,  the  same  is  true  of  the  throne  of  the  Lamb, 
for,  as  the  Master  said:  "lo  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 

"4  And  they  shall  see  his  face;  and  his  name  shall 
be  in  their  foreheads."  This  verse  has  led  many  to 
suppose  that  in  the  New  Jerusalem — but  whether  on 
earth  or  in  heaven  they  do  not  know — an  anthropo- 
morphic God  would  be  visible  to  the  saints.  The 
Revelator  refers  to  the  Lamb,  but,  as  the  majority  of 
Christians  have  not  yet  learned  to  distinguish  between 
God  the  Father,  and  Jesus  the  Christ,  the  promise 
means  to  them  the  visible  presence  of  the  Trinity. 


184 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

The  sealed  in  their  foreheads  are  of  course  the  one 
hundred  forty  and  four  thousand ;  those  whose  number 
indicates  the  entire  host  of  the  redeemed. 

"5  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there;  and  they 
need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun;  for  the  Lord 
God  giveth  them  light:  and  they  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever."  The  verse  is  almost  a  replica  of  21:  23, 
and  its  insertion  in  this  closing  chapter  may  be  to 
emphasize  the  extraordinary  prophecy  of  that  verse. 
In  his  vision  of  the  judgment  of  Antichrist,  Daniel 
saw  that  after  his  dominion  was  taken  from  him,  the 
saints  would  possess  the  whole  earth  for  ever  and 
ever. 

"6  And  he  said  unto  me:  These  sayings  are  faith- 
ful and  true:  and  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets 
sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  his  servants  the  things 
which  must  shortly  be  done."  It  is  Gabriel  who 
assures  the  Revelator  of  the  truth  of  the  message 
given  to  him,  and  in  words  which  prove  John  to  be 
of  the  greater  rather  than  of  the  lesser  order  of 
inspired  writers.  The  words :  "  must  shortly  be  done," 
have  no  reference  to  time  as  measured  on  the  physi- 
cal plane. 

"7  Behold  I  come  quickly:  blessed  is  he  that 
keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book." 
On  the  highest  plane  of  being  where,  because  clearly 
seen,  cause  and  effect  are  conjoined,  to  act  surely  is 
to  act  quickly.  The  separation  of  cause  and  effect 
begins  just  below  the  highest  plane,  and  increases  as 
the  material  plane  is  approached. 

"8  And  I  John  saw  these  things,  and  heard  them. 
And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell  down  to  wor- 
ship before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  showed  me 


185 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

these  things.  9  Then  said  he  unto  me,  See  thou 
do  it  not:  for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy 
brethren  the  prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the 
sayings  of  this  book:  worship  God." 

We  have  endeavored  to  show  that  John  himself 
saw  and  heard  whatever  is  recorded  in  these  twenty- 
two  chapters.  We  have  rejected  the  theory  of  com- 
pilation from  various  authors;  also  the  theory  of  the 
incorporation  of  old  legends.  We  do  not  admit  that 
Revelation  is  the  piecing  together  of  Johannine 
writings  of  different  dates.  Rather  we  contend  for  a 
composite  whole,  and  hold  that  the  interruptions  of 
the  narrative,  wherever  occurring,  are  deliberate  and 
for  a  purpose  which  is  common  in  occult  writings. 
In  his  rebuke  of  John,  the  great  Archangel  calls  him- 
self a  fellow-servant  which  indicates  that,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Supreme,  the  mightiest  are  small  indeed. 

"10  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  sayings 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  book:  for  the  time  is  at  hand." 
In  the  early  centuries  especially,  and  at  intervals 
ever  after,  the  words:  "Seal  not  the  sayings  of  the 
prophecy  of  this  book:  for  the  time  is  at  hand,"  were 
taken  to  mean  immediate  fulfillment  of  the  event 
foretold  in  Dan.  12:9,  thus:  "for  the  words  are 
closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time  of  the  end."  Our 
explanation  of  the  warning  in  chapter  3:11,  and  in 
verse  7  of  this  chapter,  "Behold  I  come  quickly," 
applies  also  to  the  words:  "the  time  is  at  hand." 
From  the  highest  view-point,  that  which  is  inevitable 
is  at  hand. 

"11  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still:  and 
he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still :  and  he  that 
is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still :  and  he  that  is 


186 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

holy,  let  him  be  holy  still."  Thus  is  indicated  the 
solemn  fact  that  when  the  time  of  Christ's  return 
draws  near,  the  world  will  be  fixed  in  its  usual  way, 
so  that  only  the  always-ready  will  be  prepared. 

"12  And  behold  I  come  quickly;  and  my  reward 
is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work 
shall  be."  See  Isa.  40:  10,  also  Matt.  16:  27.  Behold 
I  come  surely;  then,  whatsoever  a  man  hath  sown, 
that  shall  he  also  reap. 

"13  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
the  end,  the  first  and  the  last."  See  Isa.  44:6.  With- 
in its  limit,  the  verse  is  almost  a  replica  of  chapter  1:8. 
"14  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments, 
that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may 
enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city."  The  zodiacal 
tree  was  described  in  the  comments  on  verse  2 ;  and  the 
gates  in  the  comments  on  chapter  21:12,  13. 

"15  For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and 
whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and 
whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie."  The  verse  was 
explained  in  the  comment  on  chapter  21:8.  Evi- 
dently the  city  is  the  purified  earth,  since  all  without 
is  the  place  of  the  condemned. 

"16  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto 
you  these  things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and 
the  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning 
star."  Already  the  churches  have  been  explained 
as  the  seven  principles  of  man.  Isaiah  prophesied  of 
Jesus  the  Christ  thus:  "And  there  shall  come  forth 
a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  Branch  shall 
grow  out  of  his  roots."  Jesus  the  Christ  is  also  the 
star  out  of  Jacob  of  which  Balak  had  prophesied 
before  Balaam. 


187 


THE  REVELATION  OF   JOHN 

"17  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  water  of  life  freely."  The  great  seven-fold 
Breath,  the  vis  vitcB  which  issued  from  the  spiritual 
Sun  at  the  creation  of  this  world,  and  which  at  the 
prime  of  our  planetary  life  turned  back  to  its  heavenly 
source,  is  that  plenteous  and  free  draught  of  which 
Isaiah  said:  "Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye 
to  the  waters." 

"18  For  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the 
words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.  If  any  man  shall 
add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the 
plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book:  19  And  if 
any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of 
the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from 
the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book." 

There  is  no  doubt  that  before  the  days  of  printing, 
religious  zealots  sometimes  undertook  to  improve 
the  New  Testament  books,  especially  when  certain 
passages  seemed  to  contradict  their  own  views,  or 
those  borrowed  from  others.  It  is  also  true  that  if 
certain  commentators  had  had  the  re-writing  of 
Revelation,  its  inner  meaning  would  now  be  lost  to 
the  world.  It  is  our  great  good  fortune  to  have 
in  the  Apocalypse  a  pure  text,  and  perhaps  solely 
because  of  the  warning  contained  in  the  verse.  Such 
warning  is  not  peculiar  to  the  last  book  of  the  Bible, 
for  Moses  issued  a  command  that  the  Jewish  statutes 
and  judgments  should  not  be  tampered  with. 

"20  He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith,  Surely 
I  come  quickly.    Amen.     Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus. 


188 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

21  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 
Amen."  The  words,  "  I  come  quickly,"  or,  as  we  inter- 
pret them:  "I  come  surely,"  first  occur  in  chapter 
3:11,  and  then  three  times  in  chapter  2 2 .  This  warning 
derives  peculiar  emphasis  from  being  those  final  words 
of  Revelation  which  precede  the  benediction. 

That  Revelation  survived  the  adverse  criticisms  of 
many  early  theologians  and,  later,  those  of  Luther 
and  some  of  his  contemporaries,  is  due  in  part  to  the 
lofty  hope  and  unquenchable  faith  which  many  of  its 
messages  have  brought  to  the  hearts  of  the  faithful 
down  the  Christian  centuries.  From  one  view-point 
Revelation  continues  too  rigidly  the  attitude  of  the 
Hebrew  prophets  when  declaring  God's  wrath  toward 
the  unrighteous. 

John  seemingly  forgets  the  message  of  mercy  and 
forgiveness  announced  by  Jesus;  but  it  should  be  seen 
that  John  is  dealing  largely  with  the  two  Judgments, 
concerning  the  last  of  which  Jesus  himself  uttered  a 
terrible  warning.  Despite  the  many  promises  of 
mercy  to  the  contrite,  repentance  may  come  too  late, 
for  in  the  face  of  doom  it  is  but  a  surface  expedi- 
ent of  the  terror-stricken — those  eaters  and  drinkers 
as  in  the  days  of  Noe — and  can  have  no  determining 
influence  on  their  fate. 

To  the  sentimentalist,  who  fears  in  that  fate  a 
resulting  unhappiness  of  friends  and  families  among 
the  redeemed,  we  would  say  that  from  the  view-point 
of  the  redeemed  doubtless  there  are  mitigations  of 
grief  which  cannot  enter  the  minds  of  mortals  yet  in 
the  flesh. 

Because  the  universe  is  dual,  there  can  be  no  final 
loss.    God  Supreme  is  the  pinnacle  of  the  evolved  half 


189 


THE   REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

of  the  universe;  that  which  has  come  to  be  perfect  if 
judged  by  the  standard  of  the  negative  half,  but  not 
wholly  so  by  its  own  standard.  Because  naturally 
heavy  and  lethargic  and  slow  of  progress,  the  negative 
half  of  the  universe — that  which  includes  mankind 
and  all  finite  beings — is  yet  on  the  way  to  perfec- 
tion, aided  by  the  positive  half  which  contains 
attributes  proper  only  to  itself.  Since  the  negative 
contains  certain  attributes  peculiar  to  itself  alone, 
we  gather  that  positive  and  negative  are  mutually 
dependent;  and,  until  every  atom  of  the  negative  is 
redeemed  and  purified,  the  positive  will  to  that 
extent,  fall  short  of  full  and  rounded  perfection. 

On  the  other  hand  appears  the  paradox  that  to  the 
Divine  Mind  the  perfect  whole  exists  in  the  eternal 
Now,  and  that  Now  results  from  God's  encompassing 
vision  of  past,  present,  and  future;  each  as  clearly 
defined  as  the  other  two,  and  so  all  three  be  held  as 
timeless  Eternity.  For  those  who  see  no  more  with 
mortal  eyes,  some  part  of  that  veil  which  we  call 
time  is  lifted,  wherefore  results  one  of  those  mitiga- 
tions whose  total  will  nullify  the  sorrow  which  other- 
wise would  come  to  the  redeemed  because  of  the 
separation  of  the  sheep  from  the  goats  in  the  great 
cycle  of  Capricornus. 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  QF  2l*CENTS 

THIS   BOOK   ON   ^HE   DATE   DU  po^RTH 

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